1. A non-transitory computer-implemented method comprising: providing an optimization parameter set, the optimization parameter set having a plurality of variables for accurate simulation of at least one behavior of interest relating to a hydrocarbon reservoir; reducing a number of optimization parameters in the optimization parameter set prior to applying a rigorous optimization model to thereby provide a reduced parameter space, wherein the optimization parameter set includes integer variables and continuous variables and wherein the optimization parameter set comprises from 100 to 10,000 integer variables and from 1,000 to 100,000 continuous variables, and wherein the reduced optimization parameter space comprises at least one of less than 1,000 proposed designs and from 10 to 1,000 integer variables and from 1,000 to 10,000 continuous variables; simulating in a computer the at least one behavior of interest for optimization processing using the rigorous optimization model over the reduced parameter space to provide an optimized solution for application to the behavior of interest; and outputting the optimized solution.