Insights on Trigger Mechanisms of Two Large Hydraulic Fracturing-Induced Earthquakes and Sensitivity Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Hui ◽  
Shengnan Chen ◽  
Fei Gu
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Induced Earthquakes ◽  
Trigger Mechanisms

scholarly journals Sensitivity Analysis of Seismic Velocity and Attenuation Variations for Longmaxi Shale during Hydraulic Fracturing Testing in Laboratory

Energies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyu Zhai ◽  
Xu Chang ◽  
Yibo Wang ◽  
Ziqiu Xue ◽  
Xinglin Lei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Longmaxi Shale

Comprehensive Characterization and Mitigation of Hydraulic Fracturing-Induced Seismicity in Fox Creek, Alberta

SPE Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Gang Hui ◽  
Shengnan Chen ◽  
Zhangxin Chen ◽  
Fei Gu ◽  
Mathab Ghoroori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Pore Pressure ◽  
Hydraulic Fracture ◽  
Induced Seismicity ◽  
Mitigation Strategy ◽  
Moment Magnitude ◽  
Induced Earthquakes ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Comprehensive Characterization

Summary The relationships among formation properties, fracturing operations, and induced earthquakes nucleated at distinctive moments and positions remain unclear. In this study, a complete data set on formations, seismicity, and fracturing treatments is collected in Fox Creek, Alberta, Canada. The data set is then used to characterize the induced seismicity and evaluate its susceptibility toward fracturing stimulations via integration of geology, geomechanics, and hydrology. Five mechanisms are identified to account for spatiotemporal activation of the nearby faults in Fox Creek, where all major events [with a moment magnitude (Mw) greater than 2.5] are caused by the increase in pore pressure and poroelastic stress during the fracturing operation. In addition, an integrated geological index (IGI) and a combined geomechanical index (CGI) are first proposed to indicate seismicity susceptibility, which is consistent with the spatial distribution of induced earthquakes. Finally, mitigation strategy results suggest that enlarging a hydraulic fracture-fault distance and decreasing a fracturing job size can reduce the risk of potential seismic activities.

scholarly journals Maturity of nearby faults influences seismic hazard from hydraulic fracturing

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (8) ◽  
pp. E1720-E1729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Kozłowska ◽  
Michael R. Brudzinski ◽  
Paul Friberg ◽  
Robert J. Skoumal ◽  
Nicholas D. Baxter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Fluid Pressure ◽  
Stress Transfer ◽  
Induced Earthquakes ◽  
Geologic History ◽  
B Values ◽  
Pressure Diffusion ◽  
Hydrologic Connections ◽  
Paleozoic Rocks ◽  
High Pressure Injection

Understanding the causes of human-induced earthquakes is paramount to reducing societal risk. We investigated five cases of seismicity associated with hydraulic fracturing (HF) in Ohio since 2013 that, because of their isolation from other injection activities, provide an ideal setting for studying the relations between high-pressure injection and earthquakes. Our analysis revealed two distinct groups: (i) deeper earthquakes in the Precambrian basement, with larger magnitudes (M > 2), b-values < 1, and many post–shut-in earthquakes, versus (ii) shallower earthquakes in Paleozoic rocks ∼400 m below HF, with smaller magnitudes (M < 1), b-values > 1.5, and few post–shut-in earthquakes. Based on geologic history, laboratory experiments, and fault modeling, we interpret the deep seismicity as slip on more mature faults in older crystalline rocks and the shallow seismicity as slip on immature faults in younger sedimentary rocks. This suggests that HF inducing deeper seismicity may pose higher seismic hazards. Wells inducing deeper seismicity produced more water than wells with shallow seismicity, indicating more extensive hydrologic connections outside the target formation, consistent with pore pressure diffusion influencing seismicity. However, for both groups, the 2 to 3 h between onset of HF and seismicity is too short for typical fluid pressure diffusion rates across distances of ∼1 km and argues for poroelastic stress transfer also having a primary influence on seismicity.

Shallow Faults Reactivated by Hydraulic Fracturing: The 2019 Weiyuan Earthquake Sequences in Sichuan, China

2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 3171-3181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maomao Wang ◽  
Hongfeng Yang ◽  
Lihua Fang ◽  
Libo Han ◽  
Dong Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Sichuan Basin ◽  
Sedimentary Cover ◽  
Fluid Pressure ◽  
Earthquake Hazard ◽  
Induced Earthquakes ◽  
Coupled Flow ◽  
Cascading Effects ◽  
Pressure Diffusion ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Abstract Human activity-induced earthquakes are emerging as a global issue, and revealing its underlying mechanisms is essential for earthquake hazard mitigation and energy development. We investigated the relationship between the seismotectonic model and seismic sequences from moderate Mw 4.3 and Mw 5.2 earthquakes that occurred in February and September 2019, respectively, in the Weiyuan anticline of Sichuan basin, China. We found that the Mw 5.2 earthquake ruptured a back thrust of structural wedges and released most aftershocks near the wedge tip. However, the two foreshocks of the Mw 4.3 earthquake sequence occurred in hydrofractured Silurian shale at depth of 2.5–3 km, and the mainshock ruptured the overlying oblique tear fault at a depth of ∼1  km. Hydraulic fracturing in the sedimentary cover of this block may induce earthquakes through fluid pressure diffusion in the Silurian shale and through poroelastic effects on back thrusts within structural wedges, respectively. We assessed the hazard potential of four seismic sources in the Weiyuan block and suggest it is critical to conduct a coupled flow-geomechanics assessment and management on induced seismicity and related cascading effects in the densely inhabited and seismically active Sichuan basin.

scholarly journals Research status of earthquake forecasting in hydraulic-fracturing induced earthquakes

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (0) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Qian WANG ◽  
◽  
Xinxin YIN ◽  
Changsheng JIANG ◽  
Cong JIANG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Earthquake Forecasting ◽  
Induced Earthquakes ◽  
Research Status
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