Shear-slip analysis in multiphase fluid-flow reservoir engineeringap plications using TOUGH-FLAC

This paper describes and demonstrates the use of the coupledTOUGH-FLAC simulator for geomechanical shear-slip (failure) analysis inmultiphase fluid-flow reservoir-engineering applications. Two approachesfor analyzing shear-slip are described, one using continuum stress-strainanalysis and another using discrete fault analysis. The use of shear-slipanalysis in TOUGH-FLAC is demonstrated on application examples related toCO2 sequestration and geothermal energy extraction. In the case of CO2sequestration, the shear-slip analysis is used to evaluate maximumsustainable CO2-injection pressure under increasing reservoir pressure,whereas in the case of geothermal energy extraction, the shear-slipanalysis is used to study induced seismicity during steam productionunder decreasing reservoir pressure and temperature

The 2012 Brawley swarm triggered by injection-induced aseismic slip

It has long been known that fluid injection or withdrawal can induce earthquakes, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. For example, the 2012 Brawley swarm, which produced two strike-slip shocks with magnitudes larger than 5.3 and surface ruptures in the close vicinity of a geothermal field, started with earthquakes about 5 km deeper than the injection depth (∼1.5 km). This makes the causality between the injection and seismicity unclear. Here, we jointly analyze broadband and strong motion waveforms, UAVSAR, leveling measurements and field observations to reveal the detailed seismic and aseismic faulting behaviors associated with the 2012 Brawley swarm. In particular, path calibration established from smaller events in the swarm allows waveform inversion to be conducted up to 3 Hz to resolve finite rupture process of the Mw 4.7 normal event. Our results show that the 2012 earthquake sequence was preceded by aseismic slip on a shallow normal fault beneath the geothermal field. Aseismic slip initiated in 2010 when injection rate rapidly increased and triggered the following earthquakes subsequently, including unusually shallow and relatively high frequency seismic excitations on the normal fault. In this example, seismicity is induced indirectly by fluid injection, a result of mediation by aseismic creep, rather than directly by a pore pressure increase at the location of the earthquakes

The 2012 Brawley swarm triggered by injection-induced aseismic slip

It has long been known that fluid injection or withdrawal can induce earthquakes, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. For example, the 2012 Brawley swarm, which produced two strike-slip shocks with magnitudes larger than 5.3 and surface ruptures in the close vicinity of a geothermal field, started with earthquakes about 5 km deeper than the injection depth (∼1.5 km). This makes the causality between the injection and seismicity unclear. Here, we jointly analyze broadband and strong motion waveforms, UAVSAR, leveling measurements and field observations to reveal the detailed seismic and aseismic faulting behaviors associated with the 2012 Brawley swarm. In particular, path calibration established from smaller events in the swarm allows waveform inversion to be conducted up to 3 Hz to resolve finite rupture process of the Mw 4.7 normal event. Our results show that the 2012 earthquake sequence was preceded by aseismic slip on a shallow normal fault beneath the geothermal field. Aseismic slip initiated in 2010 when injection rate rapidly increased and triggered the following earthquakes subsequently, including unusually shallow and relatively high frequency seismic excitations on the normal fault. In this example, seismicity is induced indirectly by fluid injection, a result of mediation by aseismic creep, rather than directly by a pore pressure increase at the location of the earthquakes

Modeling fault activation and seismicity in geologic carbon storage and shale-gas fracturing: Under what conditions could a felt seismic event be induced?

ISSN:1949-4645ISSN:1052-381

New high-resolution relocation of the seismicity in the Southwestern Alps (France, Italy) to improve active faults imaging: Preliminary results

International audienceThe geodynamic complexity of the Southwestern Alps (France, Italy) comes from its strong tectonic inheritage due to the European-African plates convergence. The motion being currently mainly accommodated along the Maghrebides, this region of the Alps only registers small to moderate seismicity linked to low-deformation rates (convergence rates of 0.3-0.9 mm/yr). Hence until now, the geometry of the active faults in the Southwestern Alps remains unclear and imprecise. Yet, a better knowledge of these faults is a prerequisite for the establishment of a regional deformation model and the improvement of the seismic hazard assessment.Taking advantages of a nine-year seismicity catalog (7659 earthquakes of local magnitudes ranging between -0.73 and 5.03), recorded by the French and Italian permanent national networks presenting no major evolution since 2014, a high-resolution relocation is currently ongoing. The purposes are to (1) understand how the seismic events are linked to the mapped faults, (2) highlight unknown deep seismogenic structures and (3) finally improve the overall picture of the 3D geometry of active faults in the Southwestern Alps.We present here the preliminary analysis of the relocated catalog. The seismicity is relocated using the double-difference relative method HYPODD with both cross-correlation and catalog times. As a result, the relocation is achieved for 5828 earthquakes. The uncertainties are reduced to less than 120m in horizontal and less than 600m in vertical compared to the initial average uncertainties of less than 2 kilometers for both values, referred by previous papers.We assess the reliability of our results by comparing, at regional scale, our new relocations with those obtained by similar methods in Ubaye region. We illustrate how the double-difference relocation refines active zones imaging at multiple scales, particularly in the swarms. In Isola region located around 60 kilometers from Nice, a swarm, active since summer 2021, initially detected by the national network as a 3-kilometerlong/1-kilometer-large shape, has been precised into a 1-kilometer-long/100-meterlarge spatial activity. This relocation improvement enabled us to detect progressive activation of fault segments. On larger scale, relation between faults that may play a key role in the present-day general dynamics of the Alpine chain and deep seismogenic structures is clarified. It is the case for the High-Durance valley (France), where the precise geometry at depth of the Crustal penninic Front and High-Durance fault is determined

Dynamic modeling of injection-induced fault reactivation and ground motion and impact on surface structures and human perception

We summarize recent modeling studies of injection-induced fault reactivation, seismicity, and its potential impact on surface structures and nuisance to the local human population. We used coupled multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical numerical modeling, dynamic wave propagation modeling, seismology theories, and empirical vibration criteria from mining and construction industries. We first simulated injection-induced fault reactivation, including dynamic fault slip, seismic source, wave propagation, and ground vibrations. From co-seismic average shear displacement and rupture area, we determined the moment magnitude to about Mw = 3 for an injection-induced fault reactivation at a depth of about 1000 m. We then analyzed the ground vibration results in terms of peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), and frequency content, with comparison to the U.S. Bureau of Mines’ vibration criteria for cosmetic damage to buildings, as well as human-perception vibration limits. For the considered synthetic Mw = 3 event, our analysis showed that the short duration, high frequency ground motion may not cause any significant damage to surface structures, and would not cause, in this particular case, upward CO2 leakage, but would certainly be felt by the local population.ISSN:1876-610

Geomechanical modeling of fault responses and the potential for notable seismic events during underground CO2 injection

We summarize a number of recent modeling studies related to the potential for fault reactivations and induced seismicity during underground CO2 injection. The model simulations were conducted using coupled multiphase fluid flow and geomechanics, including fault-frictional weakening enabling analysis of sudden (seismic) fault rupture, with some of the numerical analyses extended to dynamic modeling of seismic source, wave propagation, and ground motion. These model simulations show that the critical factors in determining the likelihood and magnitude of such an event are the local in situ stress field, fault orientation and size, fault strength, and injection pressure. We analyzed the case of activation of a 1 km long minor fault that might have gone undetected during the site investigation and show that the maximum seismic magnitudes would likely be less than about 3.6, even if the entire 1 km fault would to be activated. We then include seismic wave propagation generated by the rupture and show how the acceleration and deceleration of the rupture generate waves and result in a peak ground acceleration of about 0.1 g, except for a localized –0.6 g of horizontal peak acceleration at the faults intersection with the ground surface. The modeling shows that these are high frequency events that would not cause any substantial damage but could certainly be felt by the local population. We may also considered that fault reactivation, even associated with relatively small seismic or aseismic events, could potentially increase CO2 seepage out of the intended storage complex and therefore reduce the effectiveness of a CO2 storage operation. Under these circumstances, we recommend a staged, learn-as-you-go approach, involving a gradual increase of injection rates combined with continuous monitoring of geomechanical changes, as well as siting beneath a multiple layered overburden for multiple flow barrier protection, should an unexpected deep fault activation occur.ISSN:1876-610

Shear-slip analysis in multiphase fluid-flow reservoir engineering ap plications using TOUGH-FLAC

This paper describes and demonstrates the use of the coupled TOUGH-FLAC simulator for geomechanical shear-slip (failure) analysis in multiphase fluid-flow reservoir-engineering applications. Two approaches for analyzing shear-slip are described, one using continuum stress-strain analysis and another using discrete fault analysis. The use of shear-slip analysis in TOUGH-FLAC is demonstrated on application examples related to CO2 sequestration and geothermal energy extraction. In the case of CO2 sequestration, the shear-slip analysis is used to evaluate maximum sustainable CO2-injection pressure under increasing reservoir pressure, whereas in the case of geothermal energy extraction, the shear-slip analysis is used to study induced seismicity during steam production under decreasing reservoir pressure and temperature