Hydraulic fracturing volume is associated with induced earthquake productivity in the Duvernay play

Abstract

A sharp increase in the frequency of earthquakes near Fox Creek, Alberta, began in December 2013 in response to hydraulic fracturing. Using a hydraulic fracturing database, we explore relationships between injection parameters and seismicity response. We show that induced earthquakes are associated with completions that used larger injection volumes (10 to 10 cubic meters) and that seismic productivity scales linearly with injection volume. Injection pressure and rate have an insignificant association with seismic response. Further findings suggest that geological factors play a prominent role in seismic productivity, as evidenced by spatial correlations. Together, volume and geological factors account for ~96% of the variability in the induced earthquake rate near Fox Creek. This result is quantified by a seismogenic index-modified frequency-magnitude distribution, providing a framework to forecast induced seismicity.

Hydraulic Fracture Injection Strategy Influences the Probability of Earthquakes in the Eagle Ford Shale Play of South Texas

“…Wells for each stimulation strategy have a similar geographic distribution (supporting information, Figure S9), indicating that the probability differences are not due to regional variation. Larger HF injection volumes have been identified as a key influence on seismicity in Alberta, Canada (Schultz et al, ), and we found via logistic regression that there is a relationship between total volume injected into a lateral and probability of seismicity in our study ( p < 0.00001, Figure a). We noted that sequential laterals have a slightly higher median volume than the other strategies (supporting information, Table S7).…”

“…This study investigates seismicity since 2014 by examining how HF and WD may have contributed to the rate increase. A better understanding of the relationship between operations and seismicity has the potential to provide insight into the physical mechanisms of injection induced seismicity and specifically to help differentiate whether injected volume, injection rate, or changes in injection rate are more responsible for seismogenesis (e.g., Chang et al, ; McGarr, ; Schultz et al, ; Segall & Lu, ; Weingarten et al, ). There is no traffic‐light protocol in place for any type of induced seismicity in Texas to regulate operations as there is in other jurisdictions such as Ohio, Oklahoma, and Alberta (Alberta Energy Regulator, ; Ohio Department of Natural Resources, ; Oklahoma Corporation Commission, ).…”

Earthquakes Induced by Hydraulic Fracturing Are Pervasive in Oklahoma

“…The most notable exception to this are the total volumes of fluids used in stimulating HF wells, which we obtained from FracFocus and by digitizing well records. Previously, volume of fluid injected at HF wells has been found to influence the likelihood of induced seismicity in Canada (Schultz et al, ) and could be associated with the maximum expected moment release (McGarr, ; McGarr & Barbour, ).…”

Spatiotemporal Variations in Crustal Seismic Anisotropy Surrounding Induced Earthquakes Near Fox Creek, Alberta

“…The Alberta basin has experienced increased levels of induced earthquakes associated with hydraulic fracturing (HF) stimulation in recent years (Atkinson et al, ; Schultz et al, ), most notably within the Duvernay Formation (the largest shale gas formation in central Alberta) near the town of Fox Creek, Alberta (Bao & Eaton, ; Schultz et al, ). One likely triggering mechanism is fluid migration along the fault damage zone (Galloway et al, ) via existing hydrological connections between the HF networks and macroscopic faults (Ellsworth, ; Grigoli et al, ; Langenbruch & Zoback, ).…”