Structural permeability of fluid-driven fault-fracture meshes

Sibson, Richard H.

doi:10.1016/0191-8141(96)00032-6

Cited by 804 publications

(477 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…In the upper crust, strain on faults can lead to grain size and permeability reduction, especially in fault cores. Still, permeability can be elevated by several orders of magnitude in fractured wall rock proximal to fault cores (e.g., Sibson, 1996Sibson, , 1994Sibson, , 1986. It remains unclear how structural permeability is generated and maintained in the middle crust and below the brittle ductile transition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional crustal-scale structures as conduits for deep geothermal upflow

Siler

Kennedy

2016

Geothermics

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a b s t r a c tGeothermal fluids produced from two of the largest production geothermal fields in the Great Basin have helium isotope ratios that are anomalously high relative to basin-wide trends. These data indicate that the geothermal systems, Dixie Valley, Nevada and McGinness Hills, Nevada have an anomalously high fraction of mantle derived fluid. These connections to deeply derived fluid and heat may supplement crustal heat production and be responsible, in part, for the anomalously high production capacity, relative to other Great Basin geothermal fields, that Dixie Valley and McGinness Hills support. Deep-seated crustal structures across the Great Basin and around the world are known to be associated with structural reactivation, can have relatively high permeability, and can act as fluid flow conduits. These deep seated structures across the Great Basin control upflow of deeply derived heat and fluids into the shallow geothermal systems at Dixie Valley and McGinness Hills, contributing to their productivity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional crustal-scale structures as conduits for deep geothermal upflow

Siler

Kennedy

2016

Geothermics

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“…In these cases, we would expect the fracture network to resemble a mesh structure (e.g. Sibson, 1996), which comprises predominantly parallel (Mode I) and bimodal (conjugate extensional-shear) fractures, which dip at a low angle to σ 1 , with opening angles of < 20 • (e.g. Hancock, 1985;Ramsey and Chester, 2004).…”

Section: Accommodation Of Shortening: Comparing Sills and Reverse Faumentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical models to estimate the paleostress state from igneous intrusions

et al. 2018

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Abstract. Dikes and sills represent an important component of the deformation history in volcanic systems, but unlike dikes, sills are typically omitted from traditional paleostress analyses in tectonic studies. The emplacement of sheet intrusions is commonly associated with Mode I fracturing in a low deviatoric stress state, in which dilation is perpendicular to the fracture plane. Many natural examples of sills and dikes, however, are observed to accommodate minor shear offsets, in addition to a component of dilation. Here we present mechanical models for sills in the San Rafael subvolcanic field, Utah, which use field-based measurements of intrusion attitude and opening angles to constrain the tectonic stress axes during emplacement and the relative magma pressure for that stress state. The sills display bimodal dips to the NE and SW and consistent vertical opening directions, despite variable sill dips. Based on sill attitude and opening angles, we find that the sills were emplaced during a phase of NE-SW horizontal shortening. Calculated principal stress axes are consistent (within ∼ 4 • ) with paleostress results for penecontemporaneous thrust faults in the area. The models presented here can be applied to any set of dilational structures, including dikes, sills, or hydrous veins, and represent a robust method for characterising the paleostress state in areas where other brittle deformation structures (e.g. faults) are not present.

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“…Recent studies have shown that fluids can play an integral role in the structural development of orogenic belts (Jackson & Pollard 1988;Vrolijk & Myers 1990;Axen 1992;Sibson 1996;Koons et al 1998;Caine & Forster 1999). For example, in a classic study of the relationship between fluids and fault generation, Rubey & Hubbert (1959, 1965 showed that the presence of fluids could significantly facilitate faulting by reducing effective normal stress along the upper plate of the fault surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluid flow and the Heart Mountain fault: a stable isotopic, fluid inclusion, and geochronologic study

et al. 2003

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Numerous studies have proposed that movement along the 3400-km 2 low-angle (<38) Heart Mountain detachment fault of north-western Wyoming and south-western Montana was facilitated by the presence of lubricating fluids. A recent stable isotope study suggested that the fluids along the Heart Mountain fault originated from large hydrothermal systems associated with Eocene intrusive centers. Herein, we present results from a combined stable isotope, fluid inclusion, and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar geochronology study of the relationship between shallow crustal fluids from Eocene intrusive centers in the New World Mining district and fluids associated with the Heart Mountain fault. Our results suggest that: (i) Eocene intrusive bodies within the New World Mining District focused hydrothermal fluids along specific units and structures from the ore deposit centers along the Heart Mountain fault detachment surface; (ii) hydrothermal waters were focused along the Heart Mountain fault from the breakaway region near Silvergate, Montana toward Heart Mountain in Cody, Wyoming; and (iii) hydrothermal activity along the Heart Mountain fault occurred at the same time as emplacement of the Eocene intrusives, between 50.1 and 48.1 Ma. These data, taken together, suggest that the hydrothermal activity generated by intrusion of Eocene rhyodacites and dacites provided the source of fluids found along the Heart Mountain fault plane.

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Structural permeability of fluid-driven fault-fracture meshes

Cited by 804 publications

References 43 publications

Regional crustal-scale structures as conduits for deep geothermal upflow

Regional crustal-scale structures as conduits for deep geothermal upflow

Mechanical models to estimate the paleostress state from igneous intrusions

Fluid flow and the Heart Mountain fault: a stable isotopic, fluid inclusion, and geochronologic study

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