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Analysis of seismic moment tensors and in situ stress during Enhanced Geothermal System development at The Geysers geothermal field, California

Journal Article · · Geophysical Journal International
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggy326· OSTI ID:1613391
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–4760, USA; DOE/OSTI
  2. Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720–4760, USA
  3. Array Information Technology, Berkeley, CA 94709, USA
  4. Calpine Corporation, Middletown, CA 95461, USA
+ Show Author Affiliations
Seismicity in the vicinity of an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) demonstration project in the Northwest Geysers at the Prati 32 (P-32) injection well and the Prati State 31 (PS-31) production well is investigated to determine earthquake focal mechanisms, moment magnitudes and in situ stress of events that occur before and during reservoir stimulation starting 2011 October 6. We present a catalogue of 167 waveform-based seismic moment tensors ranging in moment magnitude from 0.6 to 3.9. The moment tensor catalogue is subsequently used to invert for the stress tensor and to investigate possible temporal stress changes resulting from fluid injection. We find an approximate 15-degree counter-clockwise rotation of the least compressive stress σ3 during injection. More remarkable is a change in orientation of the maximum compressive stress σ1 from subhorizontal to vertical when injection operations temporarily cease. The orientation of σ1 returns to subhorizontal when injection operations resume. It is found that there was a systematic reduction in the stress shape factor, R, as the injected water volume increases, indicating an evolution towards a more transtensional stress state.
Research Organization:
ARRAY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
DOE Contract Number:
EE0006766
OSTI ID:
1613391
Journal Information:
Geophysical Journal International, Journal Name: Geophysical Journal International Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 215; ISSN 0956-540X
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
Earthquake source observations
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Geomechanics
Induced seismicity
Waveform inversion