Cooling-induced reactivation of distant faults during long-term geothermal energy production in hot sedimentary aquifers

Kivi, Iman Rahimzadeh; Pujades, Estanislao; Rutqvist, Jonny; Vilarrasa, Víctor

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-06067-0

Title: Cooling-induced reactivation of distant faults during long-term geothermal energy production in hot sedimentary aquifers

Journal Article · 07 February 2022 · Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06067-0 · OSTI ID:1891485

^[1]; Pujades, Estanislao ^[1]; Rutqvist, Jonny ^[2];

^[3]

Spanish National Research Council (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona (Spain); Hydrogeology Group (UPC-CSIC), Barcelona (Spain)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Spanish National Research Council (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona (Spain); Hydrogeology Group (UPC-CSIC), Barcelona (Spain); Spanish National Research Council (IMEDEA-CSIS), Esporles (Spain)

Deep geothermal energy (DGE) represents an opportunity for a sustainable and carbon-free energy supply. One of the main concerns of DGE is induced seismicity that may produce damaging earthquakes, challenging its widespread exploitation. It is widely believed that the seismicity risk can be controlled by using doublet systems circulating water to minimize the injection-induced pressure changes. However, cold water reinjection may also give rise to thermal stresses within and beyond the cooled region, whose potential impacts on fault reactivation are less well understood. Here, we investigate by coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical modeling the processes that may lead to fault reactivation in a hot sedimentary aquifer (HSA) in which water is circulated through a doublet. We show that thermal stresses are transmitted much ahead of the cooled region and are likely to destabilize faults located far away from the doublet. Meanwhile, the fault permeability mainly controls the fault reactivation timing, which entails the importance of employing appropriate characterization methods. This investigation is crucial for understanding the mechanisms controlling induced seismicity associated with DGE in a HSA and allows the success of future DGE projects.

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

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Climate and Environmental Sciences Division

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1891485

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 12; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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