Computational geomechanics

What we can help you with

How do rock properties, geological structures and external loads influence subsurface stress and deformation? We develop numerical methods and simulation tools for geomechanical analysis, from mechanical modelling on complex geometries to simulations that also account for fluid flow and temperature changes.

We work with industrial partners and research organisations to:

• Calculate stresses and deformation in geological formations.
• Develop and adapt numerical methods for complex geometries and computational grids.
• Calibrate mechanical properties and stress conditions against available observations.
• Couple geomechanical models with multiphase flow and heat transport.
• Investigate how production, injection and storage affect reservoirs and surrounding formations.
• Develop, test and compare numerical methods and integrate them into simulation tools.

Contact our Applied Computational Science research group to discuss a geomechanical problem, improvements to an existing model or the development of new simulation tools.

Numerical methods for complex geological models

Geological models often contain irregular layers, faults and substantial variations in material properties. These features place demands on both the computational grid and the methods used to calculate displacements and stresses. Our expertise includes elasticity and poroelasticity, with particular emphasis on methods for corner-point and general polyhedral grids.

We work with virtual element methods (VEM) and finite volume methods, including Multi-Point Stress Approximation (MPSA) and Two-Point Stress Approximation (TPSA). A central objective is to perform mechanical calculations directly on grids that represent the geology, reducing the need to reconstruct the model on a separate mechanical mesh.

Our work covers discretisation, implementation and assessment of accuracy, stability and computational cost. This includes investigating how methods handle faults, pinch-outs and challenging cell geometries.

Calibrating geomechanical models

A geomechanical model requires information about both material properties and the loads acting on the formation. In practice, observations are often sparse and unevenly distributed. We develop methods for fitting models to such data and investigating which parameter values and stress conditions are consistent with the measurements.

This includes automatic calibration of mechanical properties and regional stress conditions. The work provides a basis for assessing model assumptions and understanding how limited data affect the calculations.

Coupling with fluid flow and temperature

Production and injection change pore pressure and temperature, which can alter stresses and deform the surrounding rock. Mechanical changes can, in turn, affect pore volume and fluid flow. We develop coupled models that describe these interactions.

Our work includes fully implicit and sequential solution methods for geomechanics and multiphase flow. The choice of method depends on the strength of the coupling, the required accuracy and the size of the simulation model.

Thermal effects are particularly relevant when cold fluids are injected into hot formations, for example in CO₂ storage and geothermal operations. We investigate how these temperature changes affect mechanical conditions in the reservoir and surrounding rock.

For applications requiring many simulations, we have also developed methods based on precomputed mechanical response functions. These can reduce computational cost by reusing response calculations within the assumptions of the chosen model.

Applications in energy and subsurface storage

Our methods are used to investigate compaction and subsidence during reservoir production, pressure- and temperature-induced stress changes during injection, and the mechanical effects of fluid storage in porous formations. The calculations can support assessments of injectivity, caprock integrity and conditions that may lead to fracturing or fault reactivation.

We adapt models to the problem and the available data, whether the task calls for a standalone mechanical analysis or a coupled simulation of flow, heat and deformation.

Open simulation tools

An important part of our work is making numerical methods available in open-source software. We develop and test geomechanical models in the MATLAB Reservoir Simulation Toolbox (MRST) and work on geomechanics coupled to the OPM Flow reservoir simulator.

Open implementations make it easier to examine numerical methods, compare results and develop solutions with partners. They also provide a foundation for reproducible calculations and training.

Selected publications

• Raynaud, X., Moncorge, A. and Nilsen, H. (2026). Challenges of Multi-Point Stress Approximation implementation for Corner Point Geometry Grid. ECMOR 2026.
• Moncorge, A., Raynaud, X., Su, K., Pillardou, N., Grelaud, S., Nilsen, H., Millancourt, F. and Bourgeois, F. (2026). Multiphase Thermo-Poromechanics on Corner Point Geometry Grids using Finite Volume Method. ECMOR 2026.
• Tveit, S., Boon, W., Nilsen, H. M. and Sandve, T. H. (2026). Modeling thermal-induced effects using coupled geomechanics-fluid flow simulators. ECMOR 2026.
• Andersen, O., Kelley, M., Smith, V. and Raziperchikolaee, S. (2022). Automatic Calibration of a Geomechanical Model from Sparse Data for Estimating Stress in Deep Geological Formations. SPE Journal, 27(02), 1140–1159.
• Andersen, O., Nilsen, H. M. and Raynaud, X. (2017). Virtual element method for geomechanical simulations of reservoir models. Computational Geosciences, 21, 877–893.
• Andersen, O., Nilsen, H. M. and Gasda, S. E. (2017). Modeling geomechanical impact of fluid storage in poroelastic media using precomputed response functions. Computational Geosciences, 21, 1135–1156.

Read more

• MRST: open-source software for modelling and simulation in porous media
• Open Porous Media (OPM)
• A Brief Introduction to Poroelasticity and Simulation of Coupled Geomechanics and Flow in MRST – a book chapter with methods and worked examples.
• Presentation on MPSA and coupled geomechanics and flow (PDF).