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Fault structure, stress, or pressure control of the seismicity in shale? Insights from a controlled experiment of fluid-induced fault reactivation

Journal Article · · Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JB012633· OSTI ID:1480723
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [3];  [5];  [6];  [2];  [2]
  1. GEOAZUR, University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, IRD, Côte d'Azur Observatory (France)
  2. MAGNITUDE, Centre Regain-Route de Marseille, Sainte-Tulle (France)
  3. CEREGE, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, Marseille (France)
  4. SITES S.A.S., Espace Européen, Ecully (France)
  5. TOTAL, Exploration and Production, Research and Development, Pau cedex (France)
  6. IRSN, Laboratoire d'Etude et de Recherche sur les Transferts et les Interactions dans les Sols, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France)
+ Show Author Affiliations
It is clear that clay formations are present in reservoirs and earthquake faults, but questions remain on their mechanical behavior, as they can vary from ductile (aseismic) to brittle (seismic). An experiment, at a scale of 10 m, aims to reactivate a natural fault by fluid pressure in shale materials. The injection area was surrounded by a dense monitoring network comprising pressure, deformation, and seismicity sensors, in a well-characterized geological setting. Thirty-two microseismic events were recorded during several injection phases in five different locations within the fault zone. Their computed magnitude ranged between -4.3 and -3.7. Their spatiotemporal distribution, compared with the measured displacement at the injection points, shows that most of the deformation induced by the injection is aseismic. Whether the seismicity is controlled by the fault architecture, mineralogy of fracture filling, fluid, and/or stress state is then discussed. The fault damage zone architecture and mineralogy are of crucial importance, as seismic slip mainly localizes on the sealed-with-calcite fractures which predominate in the fault damage zone. As no seismicity is observed in the close vicinity of the injection areas, the presence of fluid seems to prevent seismic slips. The fault core acts as an impermeable hydraulic barrier that favors fluid confinement and pressurization. Therefore, the seismic behavior seems to be strongly sensitive to the structural heterogeneity (including permeability) of the fault zone, which leads to a heterogeneous stress response to the pressurized volume.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1480723
Journal Information:
Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 121; ISSN 2169-9313
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (11)

Hydromechanical reactivation of natural discontinuities: mesoscale experimental observations and DEM modeling journal March 2019
A review of mechanisms of induced earthquakes: from a view of rock mechanics journal January 2019
Fault Reactivation by Fluid Injection: Controls From Stress State and Injection Rate journal December 2018
Laboratory Study on Fluid‐Induced Fault Slip Behavior: The Role of Fluid Pressurization Rate journal March 2020
Seismic and Microseismic Signatures of Fluids in Rocks: Bridging the Scale Gap journal June 2019
Induced seismicity provides insight into why earthquake ruptures stop journal December 2017
The role of aseismic slip in hydraulic fracturing–induced seismicity journal August 2019
Influence of reservoir geology on seismic response during decameter-scale hydraulic stimulations in crystalline rock text January 2020
Influence of reservoir geology on seismic response during decameter-scale hydraulic stimulations in crystalline rock text January 2020
Fault reactivation by fluid injection: Controls from stress state and injection rate text January 2018
Influence of reservoir geology on seismic response during decameter-scale hydraulic stimulations in crystalline rock journal January 2020

Figures / Tables (8)

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