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1.
Fluid-induced seismicity: Pressure diffusion and hydraulic fracturing   总被引:2,自引:0,他引:2  
Borehole fluid injections are common for the development of hydrocarbon and geothermic reservoirs. Often they induce numerous microearthquakes. Spatio-temporal dynamics of such induced microseismic clouds can be used to characterize reservoirs. However, a fluid-induced seismicity can be caused by a wide range of processes. Here we show that linear pore pressure relaxation and a hydraulic fracturing are two asymptotic end members of a set of non-linear diffusional phenomena responsible for seismicity triggering. To account for the whole range of processes we propose a rather general non-linear diffusional equation describing the pore pressure evolution. This equation takes into account a possibly strong enhancement of the medium permeability. Both linear pore pressure relaxation and hydraulic fracturing can be obtained as special limiting cases of this equation. From this equation we derive the triggering front of fluid induced seismicity, which is valid in the general case of non-linear pore pressure diffusion. We demonstrate corresponding seismicity signatures on different case studies.  相似文献   

2.
In June/July 2000, a hydraulic stimulation experiment took place at the geothermal EGS site of Soultz-sous-Forêts (Alsace, France) in order to enhance the permeability of the fractured granitic massif at 5 km depth. As it is well known that fluid injections tend to induce microseismic events, a downhole and a surface seismological network have been installed to monitor the seismic activity during the stimulation test. 23400 m3 of fluid have been injected in the rock volume through the open-hole section (4400 m–5000 m) of the well GPK2 at increasing rates of 30 l.s−1, 40 l.s−1 and then 50 l.s−1. More than 7200 microseismic events in the magnitude range –0.9 to 2.6 have been precisely located through a simultaneous inversion of the seismic velocity structure and location parameters. The analysis of the behavior of the seismicity relative to the hydraulic parameters gives important information about the geothermal reservoir. It appears that the evolution of the seismicity strongly depends on the variations of the injection rate: An increase or a decrease leads to changes of the velocity structure, the number and magnitude of microseismic events. This involves different hydro-mechanical processes between the fluid flow and the fracture planes, which will control the final shape of the microseismic cloud. Moreover, the study of the variations of the b-value with time suggests that the stimulation experiment produces a large proportion of small earthquakes, but records of events of magnitude higher than 2 indicate that fluid injection could reactivate structures whose dimensions allow the generation of such earthquakes.  相似文献   

3.
We provide a comparative analysis of the spatio-temporal dynamics of hydraulic fracturing-induced microseismicity resulting from gel and water treatments. We show that the growth of a hydraulic fracture and its corresponding microseismic event cloud can be described by a model which combines geometry- and diffusion-controlled processes. It allows estimation of important parameters of fracture and reservoir from microseismic data, and contributes to a better understanding of related physical processes. We further develop an approach based on this model and apply it to data from hydraulic fracturing experiments in the Cotton Valley tight gas reservoir. The treatments were performed with different parameters such as the type of treatment fluid, the injection flow rate, the total volume of fluid and of proppant. In case of a gel-based fracturing, the spatio-temporal evolution of induced microseismicity shows signatures of fracture volume growth, fracturing fluid loss, as well as diffusion of the injection pressure. In contrast, in a water-based fracturing the volume creation growth and the diffusion controlled growth are not clearly separated from each other in the space-time diagram of the induced event cloud. Still, using the approach presented here, the interpretation of induced seismicity for the gel and the water treatments resulted in similar estimates of geometrical characteristics of the fractures and hydraulic properties of the reservoir. The observed difference in the permeability of the particular hydraulic fractures is probably caused by the different volume of pumped proppant.  相似文献   

4.
Hydraulic fractures generated by fluid injection in rock formations are often mapped by seismic monitoring. In many cases, the microseismicity is asymmetric relative to the injection well, which has been interpreted by stress gradient along the direction of the hydraulic fracture. We present a mathematical model of asymmetric hydrofracture growth based on relations between the solid‐phase stress and the fracture hydraulics. For single fracture and single injection point, the model has three parameters, hydraulic conductivities of the fracture wings, and normalised stress gradient and predicts the positions of the fracture tips as functions of time. The model is applied to a set of microseismic event locations that occurred during and after an injection process. Two different methods are suggested that make it possible to delineate the fracture tips from the set of microseismic events. This makes it possible to determine the model parameters and to check the agreement between the model prediction and the measured data. The comparison of the measured and modelled growth of fracture wings supports both the assumption of the non‐zero stress gradient and the existence of the post‐injection unilateral growth.  相似文献   

5.
Hydraulic stimulation and geothermal reservoir operation may compromise the rock mechanical stability and trigger microseismic events. The mechanisms leading to this induced seismicity are still not completely understood. It is clear that injection causes an overpressure that reduces the effective stress, bringing the system closer to failure conditions. However, rock instability may not result only from hydraulic effects, but also from thermal effects. In fact, hydro-mechanical (i.e., isothermal) models often fail to reproduce field observations because the injection of cold water into a hot reservoir induces thermal stresses due to rock contraction. Thus, rock instability is likely to result from the superposition of hydraulic and thermal effects. Here, we perform coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical simulations to investigate the effects of cold water injection in a fracture zone-intact rock system. Results show that thermal effects induce a significant perturbation on the stress in the intact rock affected by the temperature drop. This perturbation is likely to trigger induced seismicity in the surroundings of critically oriented fractures near the injection well. Hydro-mechanical simulations show that the behavior depends on the orientation of the faults and on the initial stress tensor. In the direction of the fractures, where the strains are more constrained, total stress increases with increasing pressure; thus, deviatoric stress increases or decreases depending on the initial stress state. The comparison between hydraulic and thermal effects shows that, when the largest confining stress acts perpendicular to the fractures, thermoelastic effects dominate and could trigger induced seismicity.  相似文献   

6.
— We consider various cases of seismicity, induced by artificial fluid injections in boreholes. Like many other authors, we support the hypothesis that to a large extent the triggering of this seismicity is caused by a diffusive process of the pore pressure relaxation in porous (or fractured), saturated rocks. We show that if this hypothesis is correct, then the spatio-temporal distributions of the seismic events must have several specific features related to the effective permeability of the rock. As a rule the fluid injection-induced seismicity obeys such features. These features can be indications of the diffusive and even hydraulic nature of the seismicity triggering process.¶From this point of view we analyze the spatio-temporal distribution of the late aftershocks of the Antofagasta (northern Chile) 1995 earthquake. These aftershocks were concentrated in a plane, an approximately 3 km-thick spatial zone. This thin seismogenic layer is a part of the South American subduction zone. The time-distance distribution of the aftershocks along this layer indicates that they could be triggered by a diffusion-like process. Possibly, such a process is the relaxation of the pressure perturbation caused in the pore fluid by the main Antofagasta event. We estimated the permeability required to explain the spatio-temporal distribution of the aftershocks by such a triggering mechanism. The obtained value, 60 mD, is very large. However, it is realistic for a long-time existing and large-scale fault zone.  相似文献   

7.
蒋海昆  宋金  贾若  曲均浩  陈亚男 《地震》2014,34(1):13-23
结合微震活动的流体作用强度检测及孔隙压扩散模拟,讨论了三峡库区不同时期微震活动的主要影响因素。以2008年9月蓄水季为界划分前、后期,前期流体渗透导致的孔隙压力增加,使裂隙或断层面强度降低,是库区微震活动的主要影响因素,这一时期微震频次及ETAS模型参数μ值有起伏地缓慢增大,与库水位加卸载过程关系不明显; 后期由于流体渗透引起的孔隙压力变化趋于零,在新的流体平衡条件下,库水位加卸载过程所导致的裂隙或断层面上的应力变化,成为库区微震活动的主要影响因素,这一时期微震频次及μ值显示出与水位变化明显的关联特征。库区小震震源深度的时间变化支持上述观点。在此基础上,进一步讨论了水库“诱发”和水库“触发”地震的力学差异,认为前者主要缘于流体渗透导致的裂隙或断层面强度的“主动”降低,后者则主要与库水加卸载所导致的裂隙或断层面上应力增强有关。进一步推论认为,流体对小地震“诱发”、“触发”皆可能发生,但中强地震缘于流体“诱发”的可能性非常小,对水库区发生的中强地震,流体仅可能对处于临界状态的断层系统起到“触发”作用。  相似文献   

8.
Pore pressure diffusion and the mechanism of reservoir-induced seismicity   总被引:9,自引:0,他引:9  
The study of reservoir-induced seismicity offers a controlled setting to understand the physics of the earthquake process. Data from detailed investigations at reservoirs in South Carolina suggested that the mechanism of transmission of stress to hypocentral locations is by a process of diffusion of pore pressure (Pp). These results were compared with available worldwide data. The seismic hydraulic diffusivity, s , was estimated from various seismological observations, and was found to be a good estimate of the material hydraulic diffusivity, . Application of these results to a dedicated experiment to understand RIS at Monticello Reservoir, S.C., suggested that the diffusing Pp front plays a dual role in the triggering of seismicity. The spatial and temporal pattern of RIS can be explained by the mechanical effect of diffusion of Pp with a characteristic hydraulic diffusivity within an order of magnitude of 5×104 cm2/s, corresponding to permeability values in the millidarcy range. The triggering of seismicity is due to the combined mechanical effect of Pp in reducing the strength and, possibly, the chemical effect in reducing the coefficient of friction between the clays in the pre-existing fractures and the rocks that enclose these fractures.  相似文献   

9.
In this paper, fluid flow is examined for a mature strike‐slip fault zone with anisotropic permeability and internal heterogeneity. The hydraulic properties of the fault zone were first characterized in situ by microgeophysical (VP and σc) and rock‐quality measurements (Q‐value) performed along a 50‐m long profile perpendicular to the fault zone. Then, the local hydrogeological context of the fault was modified to conduct a water‐injection test. The resulting fluid pressures and flow rates through the different fault‐zone compartments were then analyzed with a two‐phase fluid‐flow numerical simulation. Fault hydraulic properties estimated from the injection test signals were compared to the properties estimated from the multiscale geological approach. We found that (1) the microgeophysical measurements that we made yield valuable information on the porosity and the specific storage coefficient within the fault zone and (2) the Q‐value method highlights significant contrasts in permeability. Fault hydrodynamic behavior can be modeled by a permeability tensor rotation across the fault zone and by a storativity increase. The permeability tensor rotation is linked to the modification of the preexisting fracture properties and to the development of new fractures during the faulting process, whereas the storativity increase results from the development of micro‐ and macrofractures that lower the fault‐zone stiffness and allows an increased extension of the pore space within the fault damage zone. Finally, heterogeneities internal to the fault zones create complex patterns of fluid flow that reflect the connections of paths with contrasting properties.  相似文献   

10.
Many observations and studies indicate that pore fluid pressure in the crustal rocks plays an important role in deformation, faulting, and earthquake processes. Conventional models of pore pressure effects often assume isotropic porous rocks and yield the nondeviatoric pressure effects which seem insufficient to explain diverse phenomena related to pore pressure variation, such as fluid-extraction induced seismicity and crustal weak faults. We derive the anisotropic effective stress law especially for transversely-isotropic and orthotropic rocks, and propose that the deviatoric effects of pore fluid pressure in anisotropic rocks not only affect rock effective strength but also cause variation of shear stresses. Such shear stress variations induced by either pore pressure buildup or pore pressure decline may lead to faulting instability and trigger earthquakes, and provide mechanisms for the failure of crustal weak faults with low level of shear stresses. We believe that the deviatoric effects of pore fluid pressure in anisotropic rocks are of wide application in studies of earthquake precursors and aftershocks, oil and gas reservoir characterization, enhanced oil recovery, and hydraulic fracturing.  相似文献   

11.
Estimation of in-situ hydraulic diffusivity of rock masses   总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1  
A method of estimating in-situ hydraulic diffusivity of rock masses by means of well-injection history and frequency of induced seismicity is presented. The method is based on the diffusion of injected fluid from a spherical cavity in a poroelastic half-space and the effective stress theory, as proposed byTerzaghi (1925, 1936) andHubbert andRubey (1959). Application of the method to two different regions, one in western New York and the other in Japan, resulted in estimated diffusivities of the order 103 and 104 cm2/sec, respectively. These values lie within the range of published estimates of in-situ diffusivity by other means, a summary of which is presented in tabular form. The calculated diffusivities suggest that the characteristic time of fluid diffusion is close to 0.1, rather than unity, as is sometimes assumed in the literature.  相似文献   

12.
We develop a methodology to obtain a consistent velocity model from calibration shots or microseismicity observed on a buried array. Using a layered 1D isotropic model derived from checkshots as an initial velocity model, we invert P‐wave arrival times to obtain effective anisotropic parameters with a vertical axis of symmetry (VTI). The nonlinear inversion uses iteration between linearized inversion for anisotropic parameters and origin times or depths, which is specific to microseismic monitoring. We apply this technique to multiple microseismic events from several treatments within a buried array. The joint inversion of selected events shows a largely reduced RMS error indicating that we can obtain robust estimates of anisotropic parameters, however we do not show improved source locations. For joint inversion of multiple microseismic events we obtained Thomsen anisotropic parameters ε of 0.15 and δ of 0.05, which are consistent with values observed in active seismic surveys. These values allow us to locate microseismic events from multiple hydraulic fracture treatments separated across thousands of metres with a single velocity model. As a result, we invert the effective anisotropy for the buried array region and are able to provide a more consistent microseismicity mapping for past and future hydraulic fracture stimulations.  相似文献   

13.
We present results of processed microseismic events induced by hydraulic fracturing and detected using dual downhole monitoring arrays. The results provide valuable insight into hydraulic fracturing. For our study, we detected and located microseismic events and determined their magnitudes, source mechanisms and inverted stress field orientation. Event locations formed a distinct linear trend above the stimulated intervals. Source mechanisms were only computed for high‐quality events detected on a sufficient number of receivers. All the detected source mechanisms were dip‐slip mechanisms with steep and nearly horizontal nodal planes. The source mechanisms represented shear events and the non‐double‐couple components were very small. Such small, non‐double‐couple components are consistent with a noise level in the data and velocity model uncertainties. Strikes of inverted mechanisms corresponding to the nearly vertical fault plane are (within the error of measurements) identical with the strike of the location trend. Ambient principal stress directions were inverted from the source mechanisms. The least principal stress, σ3, was determined perpendicular to the strike of the trend of the locations, indicating that the hydraulic fracture propagated in the direction of maximum horizontal stress. Our analysis indicated that the source mechanisms observed using downhole instruments are consistent with the source mechanisms observed in microseismic monitoring arrays in other locations. Furthermore, the orientation of the inverted principal components of the ambient stress field is in agreement with the orientation of the known regional stress, implying that microseismic events induced by hydraulic fracturing are controlled by the regional stress field.  相似文献   

14.
According to the fact that the Xinfengjiang reservoir earthquakes are caused mainly by water seepage, this paper using the data ofM s?2. 0 earthquakes, studies the hydraulic diffusivity of the mainshock zone by the expansion of the distribution area of epicenters. It is indicated thatin-situ hydraulic diffusivity during the preshock activity of the Xinfengjiang reservoir region was about 6. 2 m2/s. However, after the main shock, thein-situ hydraulic diffusivity in the main shock region increased by fifty percent, that is to say, to 9. 7 m2/s. During the long period after main shock occurrence thein-situ hydraulic diffusivity was affected by significant anisotropy of the medium and fluctuation of water level. No regularity can be found. In addition, we compare the diffusivity found by experiment with rock samples collected with thein-situ hydraulic diffusivity estimated. It is shown that the diffusivity of rock samples with fractures is about the same as the diffusivity estimatedin-situ. However, the diffusivity of whole rock samples is 3 orders of magnitudes smaller than that estimatedin-situ. Finally, we discuss the limits on the method by the expansion of distribution area of epicenters in the study of reservoir induced seismicity.  相似文献   

15.
—?Microseismic monitoring systems are generally installed in areas of induced seismicity caused by human activity. Induced seismicity results from changes in the state of stress which may occur as a result of excavation within the rock mass in mining (i.e., rockbursts), and changes in hydrostatic pressures and rock temperatures (e.g., during fluid injection or extraction) in oil exploitation, dam construction or fluid disposal. Microseismic monitoring systems determine event locations and important source parameters such as attenuation, seismic moment, source radius, static stress drop, peak particle velocity and seismic energy. An essential part of the operation of a microseismic monitoring system is the reliable detection of microseismic events. In the absence of reliable, automated picking techniques, operators rely upon manual picking. This is time-consuming, costly and, in the presence of background noise, very prone to error. The techniques described in this paper not only permit the reliable identification of events in cluttered signal environments they have also enabled the authors to develop reliable automated event picking procedures. This opens the way to use microseismic monitoring as a cost-effective production/operations procedure. It has been the experience of the authors that in certain noisy environments, the seismic monitoring system may trigger on and subsequently acquire substantial quantities of erroneous data, due to the high energy content of the ambient noise. Digital filtering techniques need to be applied on the microseismic data so that the ambient noise is removed and event detection simplified. The monitoring of seismic acoustic emissions is a continuous, real-time process and it is desirable to implement digital filters which can also be designed in the time domain and in real-time such as the Kalman Filter. This paper presents a real-time Kalman Filter which removes the statistically describable background noise from the recorded seismic traces.  相似文献   

16.
龙滩水库诱发地震的孔隙压力扩散特征   总被引:9,自引:1,他引:8       下载免费PDF全文
利用孔隙压力扩散机制,分析了广西省龙滩水库与蓄水有关的小震精定位数据,获得了5个分区的流体孔隙压力扩散特征.龙滩水库与蓄水有关的小震活动表现出明显分区现象,使用多源孔隙压力扩散过程触发机理,计算出5个分区流体孔隙压扩散系数值为0.04~0.65 m2/s.根据5个分区流体孔隙压力扩散程度,将这5区划分为I、Ⅱ、Ⅲ三种类...  相似文献   

17.
—?The injection or production of fluids can induce microseismic events in hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoirs. By deploying sensors downhole, data sets have been collected that consist of a few hundred to well over 10,000 induced events. We find that most induced events cluster into well-defined geometrical patterns. In many cases, we must apply high-precision, relative location techniques to observe these patterns. At three sedimentary sites, thin horizontal strands of activity are commonly found within the location patterns. We believe this reflects fracture containment between stratigraphic layers of differing mechanical properties or states of stress. At a massive carbonate and two crystalline sites, combinations of linear and planar features indicate networks of intersecting fractures and allow us to infer positions of aseismic fractures through their influence on the location patterns. In addition, the fine-scale seismicity patterns often evolve systematically with time. At sedimentary sites, migration of seismicity toward the injection point has been observed and may result from slip-induced stress along fractures that initially have little resolved shear. In such cases, triggering events may be critical to generate high levels of seismic activity. At one crystalline site, the early occurrence of linear features that traverse planes of activity indicate permeable zones and possible flow paths within fractures. We hope the continued development of microseismic techniques and refinement of conceptual models will further increase our understanding of fluid behavior and lead to improved resource management in fractured reservoirs.  相似文献   

18.
A conceptual model of anisotropic and dynamic permeability is developed from hydrogeologic and hydromechanical characterization of a foliated, complexly fractured, crystalline rock aquifer at Gates Pond, Berlin, Massachusetts. Methods of investigation include aquifer‐pumping tests, long‐term hydrologic monitoring, fracture characterization, downhole heat‐pulse flow meter measurements, in situ extensometer testing, and earth tide analysis. A static conceptual model is developed from observations of depth‐dependent and anisotropic permeability that effectively compartmentalizes the aquifer as a function of foliation intensity. Superimposed on the static model is dynamic permeability as a function of hydraulic head in which transient bulk aquifer transmissivity is proportional to changes in hydraulic head due to hydromechanical coupling. The dynamic permeability concept is built on observations that fracture aperture changes as a function of hydraulic head, as measured during in situ extensometer testing of individual fractures, and observed changes in bulk aquifer transmissivity as determined from earth tides during seasonal changes in hydraulic head, with higher transmissivity during periods of high hydraulic head, and lower transmissivity during periods of relatively lower hydraulic head. A final conceptual model is presented that captures both the static and dynamic properties of the aquifer. The workflow presented here demonstrates development of a conceptual framework for building numerical models of complexly fractured, foliated, crystalline rock aquifers that includes both a static model to describe the spatial distribution of permeability as a function of fracture type and foliation intensity and a dynamic model that describes how hydromechanical coupling impacts permeability magnitude as a function of hydraulic head fluctuation. This model captures important geologic controls on permeability magnitude, anisotropy, and transience and therefor offers potentially more reliable history matching and forecasts of different water management strategies, such as resource evaluation, well placement, permeability prediction, and evaluating remediation strategies.  相似文献   

19.
We used hydrogeologic models to assess how fault-zone properties promote or inhibit the downward propagation of fluid overpressures from a basal reservoir injection well (150 m from fault zone, Q = 5000 m3/day) into the underlying crystalline basement rocks. We varied the permeability of the fault-zone architectural components and a crystalline basement weathered layer as part of a numerical sensitivity study. Realistic conduit-barrier style fault zones effectively transmit elevated pore pressures associated with 4 years of continuous injection to depths of approximately 2.5 km within the crystalline basement while compartmentalizing fluid flow within the injection reservoir. The presence of a laterally continuous, relatively low-permeability altered/weathered basement horizon (kaltered layer = 0.1 × kbasement) can limit the penetration depth of the pressure front to approximately 500 m. On the other hand, the presence of a discontinuous altered/weathered horizon that partially confines the injection reservoir without blocking the fault fluid conduit promotes downward propagation of pressures. Permeability enhancement via hydromechanical failure was found to increase the depth of early-time pressure front migration by a factor of 1.3 to 1.85. Dynamic permeability models may help explain seismicity at depths of greater than 10 km such as is observed within the Permian Basin, NM.  相似文献   

20.
Gas‐Oil Gravity Drainage is to be enhanced by steam injection in a highly fractured, low permeability carbonate field in Oman. Following a successful pilot, field‐wide steam injection is being implemented, first of this type in the world. A dedicated monitoring program has been designed to track changes in the reservoir. Various observations are to be acquired, including, surface deformation, temperature measurements, microseismic, well logs, pressure and saturation measurements to monitor the reservoir. Because significant changes in the reservoir density are expected, time‐lapse gravimetry is also being considered. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of gravimetric monitoring of the thermally enhanced gravity drainage process at the carbonate field in Oman. For this purpose, forward gravity modelling is performed. Based on field groundwater measurements, the estimates of the hydrological signal are considered and it is investigated under what conditions the groundwater influences can be minimized. Using regularized inversion of synthetic gravity data, we analyse the achievable accuracy of heat‐front position estimates. In case of large groundwater variations at the field, the gravity observations can be significantly affected and, consequently, the accuracy of heat‐front monitoring can be deteriorated. We show that, by applying gravity corrections based on local observations of groundwater, the hydrological influences can to a large extent be reduced and the accuracy of estimates can be improved. We conclude that gravimetric monitoring of the heat‐front evolution has a great potential.  相似文献   

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