Induced seismicity associated with Enhanced Geothermal Systems

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) offer the potential to significantly add to the world energy inventory. As with any development of new technology, some aspects of the technology has been accepted by the general public, but some have not yet been accepted and await further clarification before such acceptance is possible. One of the issues associated with EGS is the role of microseismicity during the creation of the underground reservoir and the subsequent extraction of the energy. The primary objectives of this white paper are to present an up-to-date review of the state of knowledge about induced seismicity during the creation and operation of enhanced geothermal systems, and to point out the gaps in knowledge that if addressed will allow an improved understanding of the mechanisms generating the events as well as serve as a basis to develop successful protocols for monitoring and addressing community issues associated with such induced seismicity. The information was collected though literature searches as well as convening three workshops to gather information from a wide audience. Although microseismicity has been associated with the development of production and injection operations in a variety of geothermal regions, there have been no or few adverse physical effects on the operations or on surrounding communities. Still, there is public concern over the possible amount and magnitude of the seismicity associated with current and future EGS operations. It is pointed out that microseismicity has been successfully dealt with in a variety of non-geothermal as well as geothermal environments. Several case histories are also presented to illustrate a variety of technical and public acceptance issues. It is concluded that EGS Induced seismicity need not pose any threat to the development of geothermal resources if community issues are properly handled. In fact, induced seismicity provides benefits because it can be used as a monitoring tool to understand the effectiveness of the EGS operations and shed light on the mechanics of the reservoir.

[1]  Julian J. Bommer,et al.  Why Do Modern Probabilistic Seismic-Hazard Analyses Often Lead to Increased Hazard Estimates? , 2006 .

[2]  M. Hubbert,et al.  Role of fluid pressure in mechanics of overthrust faulting, Pts. I and II , 1959 .

[3]  Bruce R. Julian,et al.  Industrially induced changes in Earth structure at the Geysers Geothermal Area, California , 1997 .

[4]  Takao Kagawa,et al.  Differences in ground motion and fault rupture process between the surface and buried rupture earthquakes , 2004 .

[5]  F. Cornet,et al.  Stress determination from hydraulic test data and focal mechanisms of induced seismicity , 1989 .

[6]  William Hung Kan Lee,et al.  International handbook of earthquake and engineering seismology , 2002 .

[7]  Bruce R. Julian,et al.  Non‐double‐couple earthquake mechanisms at the Geysers Geothermal Area, California , 1996 .

[8]  G. Foulger,et al.  Fractal clustering of induced seismicity in The Geysers geothermal area, California , 1999 .

[9]  Roy Baria,et al.  Creation and Mapping of 5000 m deep HDR/HFR Reservoir to Produce Electricity , 2005 .

[10]  Kenneth W. Campbell,et al.  Empirical Near-Source Attenuation Relationships for Horizontal and Vertical Components of Peak Ground Acceleration, Peak Ground Velocity, and Pseudo-Absolute Acceleration Response Spectra , 1997 .

[11]  Julian J. Bommer,et al.  IS THERE A NEAR-FIELD FOR SMALL-TO-MODERATE MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKES? , 2001 .

[12]  William W Rubey,et al.  ROLE OF FLUID PRESSURE IN MECHANICS OF OVERTHRUST FAULTING I. MECHANICS OF FLUID-FILLED POROUS SOLIDS AND ITS APPLICATION TO OVERTHRUST FAULTING , 1959 .

[13]  P. C. Pelekis,et al.  Ground vibrations from sheetpile driving in urban environment: measurements, analysis and effects on buildings and occupants , 2000 .

[14]  A. Ryall,et al.  Earthquakes associated with underground nuclear explosions , 1969 .

[15]  J. Bommer,et al.  The El Salvador earthquakes of January and February 2001: context, characteristics and implications for seismic risk , 2002 .

[16]  A. Cheng,et al.  A 3-D study of the effects of thermomechanical loads on fracture slip in enhanced geothermal reservoirs , 2007 .

[17]  S. Talebi.  Seismicity Associated with Mines, Reservoirs and Fluid Injections , 1998 .

[18]  J. Bommer,et al.  Natural hazards in El Salvador , 2004 .

[19]  Thomas H. Heaton,et al.  Relationships between Peak Ground Acceleration, Peak Ground Velocity, and Modified Mercalli Intensity in California , 1999 .

[20]  J. Barneich,et al.  Vehicle Induced Ground Motion , 1985 .

[21]  L. Johnson,et al.  Progressive inversion for hypocenters and P wave and S wave velocity structure: Application to the Geysers, California, Geothermal Field , 1991 .

[22]  P. Segall,et al.  Poroelastic stressing and induced seismicity near the Lacq gas field, southwestern France , 1994 .

[23]  J. grasso.  Mechanics of seismic instabilities induced by the recovery of hydrocarbons , 1992 .

[24]  M Ptak,et al.  Refined three-dimensional solution structure of insect defensin A. , 1995, Structure.

[25]  F. H. Cornet,et al.  Analysis of induced seismicity for fault zone identification , 1993 .

[26]  D. Wyborn,et al.  Induced Seismicity during the Stimulation of a Geothermal hfr Reservoir in the Cooper Basin, Australia , 2006 .

[27]  A. Beauce,et al.  Seismic studies on the HDR site of Soultz-sous-Forêts (Alsace, France) , 1991 .

[28]  T. Jordan,et al.  Seismicity in Deep Gold Mines of South Africa: Implications for Tectonic Earthquakes , 2002 .

[29]  J. J. Zucca,et al.  Seismic velocity and attenuation structure of the Geysers geothermal field, California , 1994 .

[30]  E. L. Majer,et al.  SEISMOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT THE GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL FIELD , 1979 .

[31]  Julien Siebert.  THESE DE DOCTORAT DE L'UNIVERSITE , 2005 .

[32]  Bruce R. Julian,et al.  Source processes of industrially‐induced earthquakes at The Geysers geothermal area, California , 1999 .

[33]  R. Allis,et al.  Mechanism of induced seismicity at the Geysers Geothermal Reservoir, California , 1982 .

[34]  Ernest T. Selig,et al.  Vibration Problems in Geotechnical Engineering , 1985 .

[35]  John E. Peterson,et al.  Characteristics of Microseismicity in the DV11 Injection Area, Southeast Geysers, California , 1998 .

[36]  Hiroo Kanamori,et al.  Static and Dynamic Scaling Relations for Earthquakes and Their Implications for Rupture Speed and Stress Drop , 2004 .

[37]  Michael Fehler,et al.  Stress control of seismicity patterns observed during hydraulic fracturing experiments at the Fenton Hill hot dry rock geothermal energy site, New Mexico , 1987 .

[38]  Bruce R. Julian,et al.  Reservoir depletion at The Geysers geothermal area, California, shown by four-dimensional seismic tomography , 2003 .

[39]  A. McGarr,et al.  Seismic moments and volume changes , 1976 .

[40]  H. Kaieda,et al.  Microseismic Monitoring of Hydraulic Stimulation at the Australian HDR Project in Cooper Basin , 2005 .

[41]  Paul Segall,et al.  Earthquakes triggered by fluid extraction , 1989 .

[42]  F. Cornet,et al.  Analysis of induced seismicity for stress field determination and pore pressure mapping , 1995 .

[43]  W. D. Pennington,et al.  The evolution of seismic barriers and asperities caused by the depressuring of fault planes in oil and gas fields of South Texas , 1986 .

[44]  S. Enedy,et al.  Reservoir response to injection in the Southeast Geysers , 1991 .

[45]  Yanting Chang,et al.  An overview of rock stress measurement methods , 2003 .

[46]  R. Baria,et al.  MICROSEISMIC MONITORING OF THE WORLD ’ S LARGEST POTENTIAL HDR RESERVOIR , 2004 .

[47]  Julian J. Bommer,et al.  The earthquake sequence of May 1951 at Jucuapa, El Salvador , 2001 .

[48]  J. Bommer,et al.  Control of hazard due to seismicity induced by a hot fractured rock geothermal project , 2006 .

[49]  David Oppenheimer,et al.  Induced seismicity in The Geysers Geothermal Area, California , 1984 .

[50]  H. Kanamori,et al.  A moment magnitude scale , 1979 .

[51]  Won-Young Kim,et al.  A Fluid-Injection-Triggered Earthquake Sequence in Ashtabula, Ohio: Implications for Seismogenesis in Stable Continental Regions , 2004 .

[52]  S. Davis,et al.  Induced seismicity and the potential for liability under U.S. law 1 A more in-depth legal analysis o , 1998 .

[53]  D. Simpson.  Seismicity changes associated with reservoir loading , 1976 .

[54]  Don W. Vasco,et al.  Characterization of the geothermal system beneath the northwest Geysers Steam Field, California, from seismicity and velocity patterns , 1995 .

[55]  Philippe Lutz,et al.  The deep EGS (Enhanced Geothermal System) project at Soultz-sous-Forêts (Alsace, France) , 2006 .

[56]  Roy Baria,et al.  HDR/HWR reservoirs: concepts, understanding and creation , 1999 .

[57]  David Oppenheimer,et al.  Extensional tectonics at The Geysers Geothermal Area, California , 1986 .