Projects in this category investigate the impacts of seismic events caused by coal seam gas and coal mining operations on water resources and water dependent ecosystems. Eight projects were identified with the primary theme of the water impacts of seismicity caused by coal seam gas or coal mining developments.
Table 4. Project : Seismicity and induced earthquakes (background paper to NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer)
Project characteristics
Details
Project title
Seismicity and induced earthquakes (background paper to NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer)
Project location
Australia
Principal investigator
Gibson, Gary; Sandiford, Mike
Lead institution
Melbourne Energy Institute (University of Melbourne)
Project budget
Unknown
Source of funding
New South Wales Government
Project duration
Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status
Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary
This report aims to describe the characteristics of triggered earthquakes, and to develop a path towards quantification of the earthquake hazards and induced seismicity effects associated with coal seam gas (CSG) production.
Outputs
Gibson and Sandiford. (2013). Seismicity and induced earthquakes (background paper to NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer). Melbourne Energy Institute (University of Melbourne).
Welcome to the second half of TLE's two-part special section on passive seismic and microseismic. This month, we focus again on monitoring hydraulic fracturing with microseismic with five articles, but also expand beyond “micro” seismicity, to include unintended “induced” seismicity that may occur during injection. Five articles in this special section focus on induced-seismicity topics. In this introduction, we will highlight various issues related to undesired induced seismicity which may be caused by hydraulic fracturing and deep, underground salt water disposal.
Outputs
Shemetaet al. (2012). Introduction to this special section: Passive seismic and microseismic—Part 2. The Leading Edge.
Shemeta, Julie; Goodway, Bill; Willis, Mark; Heigl, Werner
Research themes
Seismicity
Project information source
Literature
Table 4. Project : Potentially induced earthquakes in Oklahoma, USA: Links between wastewater injection and the 2011 Mw 5.7 earthquake sequence
Project characteristics
Details
Project title
Potentially induced earthquakes in Oklahoma, USA: Links between wastewater injection and the 2011 Mw 5.7 earthquake sequence
Project location
US
Principal investigator
Keranen, Katie M.; Savage, Heather M.; Abers, Geoffrey A.; Cochran, Elizabeth S.
Lead institution
ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics, University of Oklahoma
Project budget
Unknown
Source of funding
Unavailable
Project duration
Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status
Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary
Significant earthquakes are increasingly occurring within the continental interior of the United States, including five of moment magnitude (Mw) 5.0 in 2011 alone. Concurrently, the volume of fluid injected into the subsurface related to the production of unconventional resources continues to rise. Here we identify the largest earthquake potentially related to injection, an Mw 5.7 earthquake in November 2011 in Oklahoma. The earthquake was felt in at least 17 states and caused damage in the epicentral region. It occurred in a sequence, with 2 earthquakes of Mw 5.0 and a prolific sequence of aftershocks. We use the aftershocks to illuminate the faults that ruptured in the sequence, and show that the tip of the initial rupture plane is within ?200 m of active injection wells and within 1 km of the surface; 30% of early aftershocks occur within the sedimentary section. Subsurface data indicate that fluid was injected into effectively sealed compartments, and we interpret that a net fluid volume increase after 18 yr of injection lowered effective stress on reservoir-bounding faults. Significantly, this case indicates that decades-long lags between the commencement of fluid injection and the onset of induced earthquakes are possible, and modifies our common criteria for fluid-induced events. The progressive rupture of three fault planes in this sequence suggests that stress changes from the initial rupture triggered the successive earthquakes, including one larger than the first.
Outputs
Keranen et al. (2013). Potentially induced earthquakes in Oklahoma, USA: Links between wastewater injection and the 2011 Mw 5.7 earthquake sequence. Geology.
Keranen, Katie M.; Savage, Heather M.; Abers, Geoffrey A.; Cochran, Elizabeth S.
Research themes
Seismicity
Project information source
Literature
Table 4. Project : Earthquake catalogues for New Mexico and bordering areas: 2005-2009
Project characteristics
Details
Project title
Earthquake catalogues for New Mexico and bordering areas: 2005-2009
Project location
US
Principal investigator
Pursley, Jana; Bilek, Susan L.; Ruhl, Christine J.
Lead institution
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Project budget
Unknown
Source of funding
Unavailable
Project duration
Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status
Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary
The earliest documented records of large earthquakes in New Mexico go back to the early 1900s, and seismicity has been monitored instrumentally since the early 1960s. This catalog is a continuation of previous catalogs spanning 1962 through 2004 and includes 165 earthquakes Md 2.0. In addition it also includes all located events with Md 0 in New Mexico. Similar to the 1999-2004 catalog, we found that a large number of earthquakes Md 2.0 were located in two distinct regions. One of these regions is in southeastern New Mexico near the Dagger Draw oil field (32% of all events with Md 2.0), and the other is in northeastern New Mexico within and surrounding the coalbed methane fields near Raton (44% of all events with Md 2.0). Only 5% of the larger earthquakes occurred in the Socorro Seismic Anomaly region. The remaining events were scattered throughout New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, eastern Arizona, northern Mexico, and western Texas.
Outputs
Pursley et al. (2013). Earthquake catalogs for New Mexico and bordering areas: 2005-2009. New Mexico Geology. 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801-4750, United States: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources.
Key personnel
Pursley, Jana;Bilek, Susan L.;Ruhl, Christine J.
Contact
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, United States
Research themes
Seismicity
Project information source
Literature
Table 4. Project : Induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of hydrocarbons
Project characteristics
Details
Project title
Induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of hydrocarbons
Project location
US
Principal investigator
Davies, Richard; Foulger, Gillian; Bindley, Annette; Styles, Peter
Lead institution
Durham Energy Institute, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Science Labs, Durham
Project budget
Unknown
Source of funding
Unavailable
Project duration
Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status
Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary
We compile published examples of induced earthquakes that have occurred since 1929 that have magnitudes equal to or greater than 1.0. Of the 198 possible examples, magnitudes range up to 7.9. The potential causes and magnitudes are (a) mining (M 1.6e5.6); (b) oil and gas field depletion (M 1.0e7.3); (c) water injection for secondary oil recovery (M 1.9e5.1); (d) reservoir impoundment (M 2.0e7.9); (e) waste disposal (M 2.0e5.3); (f) academic research boreholes investigating induced seismicity and stress (M 2.8e3.1); (g) solution mining (M 1.0e5.2); (h) geothermal operations (M 1.0e4.6) and (i) hydraulic fracturing for recovery of gas and oil from low-permeability sedimentary rocks (M 1.0e3.8). Reactivation of faults and resultant seismicity occurs due to a reduction in effective stress on fault planes. Hydraulic fracturing operations can trigger seismicity because it can cause an increase in the fluid pressure in a fault zone. Based upon the research compiled here we propose that this could occur by three mechanisms. Firstly, fracturing fluid or displaced pore fluid could enter the fault. Secondly, there may be direct connection with the hydraulic fractures and a fluid pressure pulse could be transmitted to the fault. Lastly, due to poroelastic properties of rock, deformation or ‘inflation’ due to hydraulic frac- turing could increase fluid pressure in the fault or in fractures connected to the fault. The following pathways for fluid or a fluid pressure pulse are proposed: (a) directly from the wellbore; (b) through new, stimulated hydraulic fractures; (c) through pre-existing fractures and minor faults; or (d) through the pore network of permeable beds or along bedding planes. The reactivated fault could be intersected by the wellbore or it could be 10s to 100s of metres from it. We propose these mechanisms have been responsible for the three known examples of felt seismicity that are probably induced by hydraulic fracturing. These are in the USA, Canada and the UK. The largest such earthquake was M 3.8 and was in the Horn River Basin, Canada. To date, hydraulic fracturing has been a relatively benign mechanism compared to other anthropogenic triggers, probably because of the low volumes of fluid and short pumping times used in hydraulic fracturing operations. These data and analysis should help provide useful context and inform the current debate surrounding hydraulic fracturing technology.
Outputs
Davies et al. (2013). Induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of hydrocarbons. Marine and Petroleum Geology.
Key personnel
Davies, Richard; Foulger, Gillian; Bindley, Annette; Styles, Peter
Research themes
Seismicity
Project information source
Literature
Table 4. Project : Enhanced remote earthquake triggering at fluid-injection sites in the Midwestern United States
Project characteristics
Details
Project title
Enhanced remote earthquake triggering at fluid-injection sites in the Midwestern United States
Project location
US
Principal investigator
van der Elst, Nicholas J.; Savage, Heather M.; Keranen, Katie M.; Abers, Geoffrey A.
Lead institution
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Project budget
Unknown
Source of funding
Unavailable
Project duration
Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status
Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary
A recent dramatic increase in seismicity in the midwestern United States may be related to increases in deep wastewater injection. Here, we demonstrate that areas with suspected anthropogenic earthquakes are also more susceptible to earthquake-triggering from natural transient stresses generated by the seismic waves of large remote earthquakes. Enhanced triggering susceptibility suggests the presence of critically loaded faults and potentially high fluid pressures. Sensitivity to remote triggering is most clearly seen in sites with a long delay between the start of injection and the onset of seismicity and in regions that went on to host moderate magnitude earthquakes within 6 to 20 months. Triggering in induced seismic zones could therefore be an indicator that fluid injection has brought the fault system to a critical state.
Outputs
van der Elst et al. (2013). Enhanced remote earthquake triggering at fluid-injection sites in the midwestern United States. Science.
van der Elst, Nicholas J.; Savage, Heather M.; Keranen, Katie M.; Abers, Geoffrey A.
Research themes
Seismicity
Project information source
Literature
Table 4. Project : Injection-induced earthquakes
Project characteristics
Details
Project title
Injection-induced earthquakes
Project location
US
Principal investigator
Ellsworth, William L.
Lead institution
US Geological Survey
Project budget
Unknown
Source of funding
Unavailable
Project duration
Unknown- literature output 2013
Current status
Unknown- literature output 2013
Project summary
Earthquakes in unusual locations have become an important topic of discussion in both North America and Europe, owing to the concern that industrial activity could cause damaging earthquakes. It has long been understood that earthquakes can be induced by impoundment of reservoirs, surface and underground mining, withdrawal of fluids and gas from the subsurface, and injection of fluids into underground formations. Injection-induced earthquakes have, in particular, become a focus of discussion as the application of hydraulic fracturing to tight shale formations is enabling the production of oil and gas from previously unproductive formations. Earthquakes can be induced as part of the process to stimulate the production from tight shale formations, or by disposal of wastewater associated with stimulation and production. Here, I review recent seismic activity that may be associated with industrial activity, with a focus on the disposal of wastewater by injection in deep wells; assess the scientific understanding of induced earthquakes; and discuss the key scientific challenges to be met for assessing this hazard.
