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Behavior of Tidally Triggered Earthquakes Depends on Fluid Conditions

Journal Article · · Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1785/0120220036· OSTI ID:1891827
 [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
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Seismicity at The Geysers geothermal field and in Oklahoma is heavily influenced by industrial activities related to energy production, though the mechanism in which earthquakes are induced or triggered is different. At The Geysers, much of the seismicity is linked to thermoelastic stresses caused by injecting cold water into hot rocks, whereas in Oklahoma, the seismicity is linked to a reduction of confining stress on faults due to increasing pore pressure resulting from wastewater injections. Here, in this study, we show that these contrasting conditions are also evident in tidally triggered earthquakes. At The Geysers, earthquakes preferentially occur during maximum extensional stress, which does not occur at the same time as maximum shear stress on optimally oriented faults in the regional stress field. In Oklahoma, earthquakes preferentially occur during maximum shear stress on optimally oriented faults rather than maximum extensional stress. The magnitude of tidal extensional stress is naturally much greater than tidal shear stress. However, in a fluid-saturated environment, pore pressure responds to changes in volume, which can counteract or reduce the effect of the applied stress. The difference in behavior at these two sites is indicative of the level of coupling between applied stress and pore pressure, corresponding to unsaturated conditions at The Geysers and high pore pressure in Oklahoma.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001
OSTI ID:
1891827
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1963635
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-17-28778; LA-UR-20-28069
Journal Information:
Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Journal Name: Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 112; ISSN 0037-1106
Publisher:
Seismological Society of AmericaCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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