Location of hydraulic fractures using microseismic techniques

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5319721

Albright, J A; Pearson, C F

Microearthquakes with magnitudes ranging between -6 and -2 have been observed in three successive massive injections of water at the Hot Dry Rock Geothermal Energy demonstration site at Fenton Hill, New Mexico. The injection was part of a program to increase the heat transfer area of hydraulic fractures and to decrease the flow-through impedance between wells. The microearthquakes were used in mapping the location of the extended hydraulic fractures. A downhole triaxial system positioned approximately 200 m vertically above the injection point in a shut-in production well was used for detection. The microearthquakes occurred in a north-northwest striking zone 400 m in length passing through the injection point. During a third substantially larger injection, microearthquakes occurred in a dispersed volume at distances as great as 800 m from the zone active in the first two injections.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5319721
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-80-2103; CONF-800931-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150906* -- Geothermal Engineering-- Reservoir Stimulation & Extraction Technology
ACOUSTIC MONITORING
COMMINUTION
EARTHQUAKES
FAILURES
FLUID INJECTION
FRACTURES
FRACTURING
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURES
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
INJECTION WELLS
MAPPING
MICROEARTHQUAKES
MONITORING
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
PERMEABILITY
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
SEISMIC EVENTS
SEISMIC S WAVES
SEISMIC WAVES
SOUTHWEST REGION
USA
WELLS