Geomechanical simulation of the stress tensor rotation caused by injection of cold water in a deep geothermal reservoir

Jeanne, Pierre; Rutqvist, Jonny; Dobson, Patrick F.; Garcia, Julio; Walters, Mark; Hartline, Craig; Borgia, Andrea

doi:10.1002/2015JB012414

Title: Geomechanical simulation of the stress tensor rotation caused by injection of cold water in a deep geothermal reservoir

Journal Article · Wed Nov 11 23:00:00 EST 2015 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JB012414 · OSTI ID:1410323

Jeanne, Pierre ^[1]; Rutqvist, Jonny ^[1]; Dobson, Patrick F. ^[1]; Garcia, Julio ^[2]; Walters, Mark ^[2]; Hartline, Craig ^[2]; Borgia, Andrea ^[1]

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Calpine Corp., Middletown, CA (United States)

We present a three-dimensional thermohydromechanical numerical study of the evolution and distribution of the stress tensor within the northwest part of The Geysers geothermal reservoir (in California), including a detailed study of the region around one injection well from 2003 to 2012. Initially, after imposing a normal faulting stress regime, we calculated local changes in the stress regime around injection wells. Our results were compared with previously published studies in which the stress state was inferred from inverting the focal plane mechanism of seismic events. Our main finding is that changes in stress tensor orientation are caused by injection-induced progressive cooling of the reservoir, as well as by the seasonal variations in injection rate. Because of the gravity flow and cooling around a liquid zone formed by the injection, the vertical stress reduction is larger and propagates far below the injection well. At the same time, the horizontal stress increases, mostly because of stress redistribution below and above the cooling area. These two phenomena cause the rotation of the stress tensor and the appearance of a strike-slip regime above, inside, and below the cooling area. The cooling and the associated rotation of the stress regime can play a significant role in the observed long-term deepening of the microseismicity below active injection wells.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Geothermal Technologies Office (EE-4G)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1410323

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Solid Earth Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 120; ISSN 2169-9313

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited By (5)

Pore pressure behavior at the shut‐in phase and causality of large induced seismicity at Basel, Switzerland Mukuhira, Y.; Dinske, C.; Asanuma, H. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Vol. 122, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jb013338	journal	January 2017
Characteristic of In Situ Stress and Its Control on the Coalbed Methane Reservoir Permeability in the Eastern Margin of the Ordos Basin, China Zhao, Junlong; Tang, Dazhen; Xu, Hao Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Vol. 49, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-0969-1	journal	May 2016
Evaluating Micro-Seismic Events Triggered by Reservoir Operations at the Geothermal Site of Groß Schönebeck (Germany) Blöcher, Guido; Cacace, Mauro; Jacquey, Antoine B. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Vol. 51, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-018-1521-2	journal	May 2018
Analysis of seismic moment tensors and in situ stress during Enhanced Geothermal System development at The Geysers geothermal field, California Boyd, O. Sierra; Dreger, Douglas S.; Gritto, Roland Geophysical Journal International, Vol. 215, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggy326	journal	August 2018
Hybrid focal mechanism determination: constraining focal mechanisms of injection induced seismicity using in situ stress data Mukuhira, Y.; Fuse, K.; Naoi, M. Geophysical Journal International, Vol. 215, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggy333	journal	August 2018

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