How to Generate Maps in ExcSim

We will demonstrate how to generate a structure map for your ExcSim simulations.

Linear Regression
You trace the depth contours on an imported image of your reservoir and ExcSim does the rest. ExcSim will create a polynomial best fit surface that closely matches the contours of your map.
Check out this video:

The Contouring worksheet lets you generate numerical maps for input to the simulation model. The numerical maps will be 2-dimensional 35x35 matrices matched to contours traced by the mouse cursor.

The procedure for generating a map is as follows:

1. Open the “Contouring” worksheet.
2. Delete all pictures, drawings and shapes from previous sessions, if any.
3. Paste a picture or drawing with contours of the map to be traced anywhere in the worksheet.
4. Select Excel’s Rectangle Tool from the Shapes palette and draw a rectangle on top of the contoured picture, representing the extent of the desired ExcSim map.
   1. Remove the Rectangle’s color filling so the whole image becomes visible.
   2. Select the rectangle by clicking on it. Its default name appears in the box to the left of the formula bar.
   3. Change the name to ‘Model’.
   4. ​Do not rotate the rectangle. If you want the simulation model to be rotated relative to the map image, you must rotate the map image instead.
5. Specify the model dimensions in the green cells under the ‘Model size’ heading. 
6. Select Excel’s ‘Free form’ drawing tool from the Shapes palette and trace one contour at a time on the picture.
   1. Only the points of the free form shape matter. The lines connecting the points are irrelevant.
   2. Make sure that the contours do not cross the upper or left edges of the 'Model' rectangle. Failing to do so will result in an error.
   3. Remove the internal filling color so you can see behind it. Name the first contour “Cont1”. Subsequent contours should be named “Cont2”, “Cont3”, etc. 
   4. Write their contour levels in the Contour Levels list , in column "B" next to their names. Extend the list with more names and contour levels as required.
7. Depending on the number of crests and troughs (ups and downs) in the picture, select suitable numbers of degrees for the polynomial best-fit, in the Best Fit table.
8. Check that all ‘Free form’ contours have been given correct names and numeric contour levels, and that the outlining ‘Rectangle’ (named ‘Model’) has correct dimensions.
9. Press the ‘Generate Map’ ribbon button.
10. When the map has been generated, copy it and paste it in its correct location in the ‘Grid’ worksheet.

Note that the map generation process also provides a mathematical formula for the map in terms of X and Y, where X is the horizontal distance from the left edge of the rectangle ‘Model’, and Y is the distance from the top edge of ‘Model’. This equation may be useful in some cases. Copy it if you want to - ignore it if you don’t.