Seismic imaging using microearthquakes induced by hydraulic fracturing

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Geophysics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1190/geo1992-0156· OSTI ID:143791

Block, L V; Cheng, C H ^[1]; Fehler, M C; Phillips, W S ^[2]

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1. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

Seismic imaging using microearthquakes induced by hydraulic fracturing produces a three-dimensional (3-D), S-wave velocity model of the fractured zone, improves the calculated locations of the microearthquakes, and may lead to better estimates of fracture-plane orientations, fracture density, and water flow paths. Such information is important for predicting the amount of heat energy that may be extracted from geothermal reservoir. A fractured zone was created at the Los Alamos Hot Dry Rock Reservoir in north-central New Mexico within otherwise impermeable basement rock by injecting 21,000 m{sup 3} of water into a borehole under high pressure at a depth of 3.5 km. Induced microearthquakes were observed using four borehole seismometers. The P-wave and S-wave arrival times have been inverted to find the 3-D velocity structures and the microearthquake locations and origin times. The inversion was implemented using the separation of parameters technique, and constraints were incorporated to require smooth velocity structures and to restrict the velocities within the fractured region to be less than or equal to the velocities of the unfractured basement rock.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36; FG02-86ER13636
• OSTI ID: 143791
• Journal Information: Geophysics, Journal Name: Geophysics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 59; ISSN GPYSA7; ISSN 0016-8033
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
58 GEOSCIENCES
DATA ANALYSIS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
IMAGE PROCESSING
MICROEARTHQUAKES
NEW MEXICO
SEISMIC DETECTION
SEISMIC SURVEYS