Abstract: A method comprising calibrating a geomodel by comparing data indicative of fracture-to-fracture interactions from a completed multi-stage hydraulic fracturing process to data from a simulated multi-stage hydraulic fracturing process. In particular, the method includes comparing a simulated instantaneous shut-in pressure and a simulated wellhead pressure to a measured instantaneous shut-in pressure and a measured wellhead pressure. Based on this comparison, one or more properties of the geomodel are adjusted and the multi-stage hydraulic fracturing process is re-simulated until the simulated values are substantially equivalent to the measured values.

Abstract: Methods for modeling hydraulic fractures using a geomechanical model of a formation and a completion design that includes a plurality of hydraulic fractures. A quantity of equivalent hydraulic fractures is selected to represent the plurality of hydraulic fractures. An equivalence ratio is determined using the quantity of equivalent hydraulic fractures and a fracture regime based on the geomechanical model and the completion design. The equivalence ratio is then used to update the geomechanical model and the completion design used as modeling inputs. The modeling results can then be modified using the equivalence ratio to compute a total surface area and fracture width of the plurality of hydraulic fractures.

Abstract: Methods for constructing a regional-scale geomodel by obtaining high-resolution stratigraphic data at a plurality of locations within an area of interest. A regional-scale resolution can be selected based on one or more identified structural features at the plurality of locations and the high-resolution stratigraphic data homogenized to the regional-scale resolution so as to generate regional-scale stratigraphic data. This homogenization is performed using a technique that preserves energy consumption during fracture propagation. The regional-scale stratigraphic data is then interpolated between the plurality of locations so as to create a regional-scale geomodel in the area of interest that can be used to perform numerical simulations of hydraulic fracturing using the regional-scale geomodel.

Abstract: Ultrasound system and method configured to locally determine a parameter of nonlinear tissue elasticity by monitoring shear wave propagating through the tissue. The shear wave is caused by an acoustic radiation force (ARF) which is applied to the tissue by ultrasound irradiation locally, in a focal region of the ultrasound beam and which is a function of the intensity of ultrasound irradiation, its time rate, and the featured nonlinearity parameter. The irradiation does not involve a quasi-static compression of the tissue, thereby permitting local estimation of nonlinear tissue elasticity and circumventing the need to solve the global inverse problem.