Widespread deep seismicity in the Delaware Basin, Texas, is mainly driven by shallow wastewater injection
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- Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,, Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061
- Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720,
Industrial activity away from plate boundaries can induce earthquakes and has evolved into a global issue. Much of the induced seismicity in the United States' midcontinent is attributed to a direct pressure increase from deep wastewater disposal. This mechanism is not applicable where deep basement faults are hydraulically isolated from shallow injection aquifers, leading to a debate about the mechanisms for induced seismicity. Here, we compile industrial, seismic, geodetic, and geological data within the Delaware Basin, western Texas, and calculate stress and pressure changes at seismogenic depth using a coupled poroelastic model. We show that the widespread deep seismicity is mainly driven by shallow wastewater injection through the transmission of poroelastic stresses assuming that unfractured shales are hydraulic barriers over decadal time scales. A zone of seismic quiescence to the north, where injection-induced stress changes would promote seismicity, suggests a regional tectonic control on the occurrence of induced earthquakes. Furthermore, comparing the poroelastic responses from injection and extraction operations, we find that the basement stress is most sensitive to shallow reservoir hydrogeological parameters, particularly hydraulic diffusivity. These results demonstrate that intraplate seismicity can be caused by shallow human activities that poroelastically perturb stresses at hydraulically isolated seismogenic depths, with impacts on seismicity that are preconditioned by regional tectonics.
- Research Organization:
- Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0019307
- OSTI ID:
- 1782411
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1853048
- Journal Information:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Vol. 118 Journal Issue: 20; ISSN 0027-8424
- Publisher:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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