A Monte Carlo-based framework for risk-return analysis in mineral prospectivity mapping

Quantification of a mineral prospectivity mapping(MPM)heavily relies on geological,geophysical and geochemical analysis,which combines various evidence layers into a single map.However,MPM is subject to considerable uncertainty due to lack of understanding of the metallogenesis and limited spatial data samples.In this paper,we provide a framework that addresses how uncertainty in the evidence layers can be quantified and how such uncertainty is propagated to the prediction of mineral potential.More specifically,we use Monte Carlo simulation to jointly quantify uncertainties on all uncertain evidence variables,categorized into geological,geochemical and geophysical.On stochastically simulated sets of the multiple input layers,logistic regression is employed to produce different quantifications of the mineral potential in terms of probability.Uncertainties we address lie in the downscaling of magnetic data to a scale that makes such data comparable with known mineral deposits.Additionally,we deal with the limited spatial sampling of geochemistry that leads to spatial uncertainty.Next,we deal with the conceptual geological uncertainty related to how the spatial extent of the influence of evidential geological features such as faults,granite intrusions and sedimentary formations.Finally,we provide a novel way to interpret the established uncertainty in a risk-return analysis to decide areas with high potential but at the same time low uncertainty on that potential.Our methods are illustrated and compared with traditional deterministic MPM on a real case study of prospecting skarn Fe deposition in southwestern Fujian,China.

Data-Driven Model Falsification and Uncertainty Quantification for Fractured Reservoirs

Many properties of natural fractures are uncertain,such as their spatial distribution,petrophysical properties,and fluid flow performance.Bayesian theorem provides a framework to quantify the uncertainty in geological modeling and flow simulation,and hence to support reservoir performance predictions.The application of Bayesian methods to fractured reservoirs has mostly been limited to synthetic cases.In field applications,however,one of the main problems is that the Bayesian prior is falsified,because it fails to predict past reservoir production data.In this paper,we show how a global sensitivity analysis(GSA)can be used to identify why the prior is falsified.We then employ an approximate Bayesian computation(ABC)method combined with a tree-based surrogate model to match the production history.We apply these two approaches to a complex fractured oil and gas reservoir where all uncertainties are jointly considered,including the petrophysical properties,rock physics properties,fluid properties,discrete fracture parameters,and dynamics of pressure and transmissibility.We successfully identify several reasons for the falsification.The results show that the methods we propose are effective in quantifying uncertainty in the modeling and flow simulation of a fractured reservoir.The uncertainties of key parameters,such as fracture aperture and fault conductivity,are reduced.