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Seismic velocity changes associated with aseismic deformations of a fault stimulated by fluid injection

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070410· OSTI ID:1480737
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Côte d'Azur, Géoazur (France). Côte d'Azur Observatory (OCA)
  2. Aix-Marseille Univ., Marseille (France). European Center of Research and Teaching of Environmental Geosciences (CEREGE)
  3. Univ. of Côte d'Azur, Géoazur (France). Côte d'Azur Observatory (OCA); Institut Universitaire de France, Paris (France)
  4. Total, Exploration and Production, Research and Development, Pau (France)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Fluid pressure plays an important role in the stability of tectonic faults. However, the in situ mechanical response of faults to fluid pressure variations is still poorly known. To address this question, we performed here a fluid injection experiment in a fault zone in shales while monitoring fault movements at the injection source and seismic velocity variations from a near-distance (<10 m) monitoring network. We measured and located the P and S wave velocity perturbations in and around the fault using repetitive active sources. We observed that seismic velocity perturbations dramatically increase above 1.5 MPa of injection pressure. This is consistent with an increase of fluid flow associated with an aseismic dilatant shearing of the fault as shown by numerical modeling. We find that seismic velocity changes are sensitive to both fault opening by fluid invasion and effective stress variations and can be an efficient measurement for monitoring fluid-driven aseismic deformations of faults.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Total S.A. (France)
OSTI ID:
1480737
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 18 Vol. 43; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (13)

Aseismic Motions Drive a Sparse Seismicity During Fluid Injections Into a Fractured Zone in a Carbonate Reservoir: Injection-Induced (A)Seismic Motions journal October 2017
Locations of Injection-Induced Earthquakes in Oklahoma Controlled by Crustal Structures journal March 2018
Hydromechanical reactivation of natural discontinuities: mesoscale experimental observations and DEM modeling journal March 2019
Subsurface Fluid Pressure and Rock Deformation Monitoring Using Seismic Velocity Observations journal October 2018
On the Relationship Between Fault Permeability Increases, Induced Stress Perturbation, and the Growth of Aseismic Slip During Fluid Injection journal October 2018
Seismic and Microseismic Signatures of Fluids in Rocks: Bridging the Scale Gap journal June 2019
On the Variability of Pressure Propagation During Hydraulic Stimulation Based on Seismic Velocity Observations journal February 2020
Repeated drainage from megathrusts during episodic slow slip journal April 2018
Energy of injection-induced seismicity predicted from in-situ experiments journal March 2019
Monitoring reservoir response to earthquakes and fluid extraction, Salton Sea geothermal field, California journal January 2018
Stabilization of fault slip by fluid injection in the laboratory and in situ journal March 2019
Subsurface fluid pressure and rock deformation monitoring using seismic velocity observations text January 2018
On the Variability of Pressure Propagation During Hydraulic Stimulation Based on Seismic Velocity Observations text January 2020

Figures / Tables (4)

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Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
aseismic deformation
controlled experiment
fault stimulation
fluid injection
seismic velocity changes