Technical support for geopressured-geothermal well activities in Louisiana

Technical Report · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5526718· OSTI ID:5526718

Continuous recording microearthquake monitoring networks have been established around US Department of Energy (DOE) geopressured-geothermal design wells in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas since summer 1980 to assess the effects well development may have had on subsidence and growth-fault activation. This monitoring has shown several unusual characteristics of Gulf Coast seismic activity. The observed activity is classified into two dominant types, one with identifiable body phases (type 1) and the other with only surface-wave signatures (type 2). During this reporting period no type 1 or body-wave events were reported. A total of 230 type 2 or surface-wave events were recorded. Origins of the type 2 events are still not positively understood; however, little or no evidence is available to connect them with geopressured-geothermal well activity. We continue to suspect sonic booms from military aircraft or some other human-induced source. 37 refs., 16 figs., 6 tabs.

• Research Organization: Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, LA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FC07-85NV10425
• OSTI ID: 5526718
• Report Number(s): DOE/NV/10425-T6; ON: DE91016295
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
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DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
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EARTHQUAKES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGY
GEOPRESSURED SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
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SEISMIC DETECTION
SEISMIC EVENTS
SEISMIC WAVES
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WELLS