Subsurface faults inferred from reflection seismic, earthquakes, and sedimentological relationships: Implications for induced seismicity in Alberta, Canada

Corlett, Hilary; Schultz, Ryan; Branscombe, Paulina; Hauck, Tyler E.; Haug, Kristine; MacCormack, K. E.; Shipman, Todd

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2018.03.008

Cited by 18 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…These induced earthquakes have been interpreted as reactivation of basement‐rooted transtensional strike‐slip faults (R. Wang et al, 2017), which is consistent with fault inferences from 3‐D reflection seismic data (Chopra et al, 2017; Corlett et al, 2018; Eaton et al, 2018) and the present‐day tectonic stress field (Shen, Schmitt, & Haug, 2019; Shen, Schmitt, & Schultz, 2019; H. Zhang, Eaton, et al, 2019). Notably, foreshock microseismicity detected using a dense local network appears to show fault activation processes leading up to the mainshock (Eyre, Eaton, Zecevic, et al, 2019), including inferred aseismic slip (Eyre, Eaton, Garagash, et al, 2019).…”

Section: Summary Of Documented Casessupporting

confidence: 67%

Hydraulic Fracturing‐Induced Seismicity

Schultz

Skoumal

Brudzinski

et al. 2020

Reviews of Geophysics

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217

162

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Hydraulic fracturing (HF) is a technique that is used for extracting petroleum resources from impermeable host rocks. In this process, fluid injected under high pressure causes fractures to propagate. This technique has been transformative for the hydrocarbon industry, unlocking otherwise stranded resources; however, environmental concerns make HF controversial. One concern is HF‐induced seismicity, since fluids driven under high pressure also have the potential to reactivate faults. Controversy has inevitably followed these HF‐induced earthquakes, with economic and human losses from ground shaking at one extreme and moratoriums on resource development at the other. Here, we review the state of knowledge of this category of induced seismicity. We first cover essential background information on HF along with an overview of published induced earthquake cases to date. Expanding on this, we synthesize the common themes and interpret the origin of these commonalities, which include recurrent earthquake swarms, proximity to well bore, rapid response to stimulation, and a paucity of reported cases. Next, we discuss the unanswered questions that naturally arise from these commonalities, leading to potential research themes: consistent recognition of cases, proposed triggering mechanisms, geologically susceptible conditions, identification of operational controls, effective mitigation efforts, and science‐informed regulatory management. HF‐induced seismicity provides a unique opportunity to better understand and manage earthquake rupture processes; overall, understanding HF‐induced earthquakes is important in order to avoid extreme reactions in either direction.

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Section: Summary Of Documented Casessupporting

confidence: 67%

Hydraulic Fracturing‐Induced Seismicity

Schultz

Skoumal

Brudzinski

et al. 2020

Reviews of Geophysics

Self Cite

217

162

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“…5). While we recognize this assertion is hardly definitive for this case, it supports an established idea that geological factors influence the likelihood of encountering induced earthquakes (62,(64)(65)(66)(67)(68)(69)(70). For example, HF operations susceptible to induced seismicity in the Duvernay play display a statistically significant spatial correspondence to the margins of a fossil reef (65).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…For example, HF operations susceptible to induced seismicity in the Duvernay play display a statistically significant spatial correspondence to the margins of a fossil reef (65). Some of these carbonate margins have undergone hydrothermal dolomitization, a process related to structurally controlled fluid flow (68,71,72). These considerations are anecdotally supported by north-south strike-slip earthquakes (8,9) and evidence of a transtensional flower structure (68,73), a structure known to be conducive to vertical fluid flow (72).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of these carbonate margins have undergone hydrothermal dolomitization, a process related to structurally controlled fluid flow (68,71,72). These considerations are anecdotally supported by north-south strike-slip earthquakes (8,9) and evidence of a transtensional flower structure (68,73), a structure known to be conducive to vertical fluid flow (72). In this light, considering any features recognized during the reflection-seismic survey, wire-line log mapping, and drill core analysis that are indicative of these processes could provide cost-effective insight to the geological susceptibility for these types of earthquakes (69).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Faults and associated karst collapse suggest conduits for fluid flow that influence hydraulic fracturing-induced seismicity

Galloway

Hauck

Corlett

et al. 2018

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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During December 2011, a swarm of moderate-magnitude earthquakes was induced by hydraulic fracturing (HF) near Cardston, Alberta. Despite seismological associations linking these two processes, the hydrological and tectonic mechanisms involved remain unclear. In this study, we interpret a 3D reflection-seismic survey to delve into the geological factors related to these earthquakes. First, we document a basement-rooted fault on which the earthquake rupture occurred that extends above the targeted reservoir. Second, at the reservoir’s stratigraphic level, anomalous subcircular features are recognized along the fault and are interpreted as resulting from fault-associated karst processes. These observations have implications for HF-induced seismicity, as they suggest hydraulic communication over a large (vertical) distance, reconciling the discrepancy between the culprit well trajectory and earthquake hypocenters. We speculate on how these newly identified geological factors could drive the sporadic appearance of induced seismicity and thus be utilized to avoid earthquake hazards.

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“…The averaged magnitude difference between major and minor DCs is 0.8: assuming that both the major and connecting (minor) faults share similar rupture distances, this corresponds to a tenfold fault length difference (Hanks & Kanamori, 1979). A strike-slip fault system with transtensional flower structure has been supported by geological evidence (Berger & Davies, 1999;, as well as by recent seismic imaging at the basement depth in the Fox Creek area (Chopra et al, 2017;Corlett et al, 2018;Eaton et al, 2018). It is highly possible for transtensional faults to develop within the limited zone between en echelon fault strands (Sylvester, 1988).…”

Section: Interpretations Of Non-double-couple Componentsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Faults and Non‐Double‐Couple Components for Induced Earthquakes

Wang

Schultz

et al. 2018

Geophysical Research Letters

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Focal mechanisms of induced earthquakes reflect anthropogenic contributions to preexisting geological features and fault slippages. In this paper, we examine fault‐related (double‐couple (DC)) and possibly fluid‐related (non‐double‐couple (non‐DC)) mechanisms of induced earthquakes (M2–6) at regional scales. We systematically compare well‐resolved focal mechanisms of 33 events in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, among which 12 were induced by hydraulic fracturing and one by secondary recovery. Most of the seismicity is dominated by strike‐slip/thrust faulting regimes, whereas limited (but consistent) non‐DC components are obtained from injection‐induced seismicity in central Alberta. We interpret the persistent compensated‐linear‐vector‐dipole components (M2.1–3.8) as reflecting fracture growth and/or noncoplanar faults slippages during hydraulic‐fracturing stimulations. We further expand the moment tensor decomposition analysis to four representative classes of induced seismicity globally and find that the overall contribution of non‐DC components is comparable between induced and tectonic earthquakes.

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Subsurface faults inferred from reflection seismic, earthquakes, and sedimentological relationships: Implications for induced seismicity in Alberta, Canada

Cited by 18 publications

References 38 publications

Hydraulic Fracturing‐Induced Seismicity

Hydraulic Fracturing‐Induced Seismicity

Faults and associated karst collapse suggest conduits for fluid flow that influence hydraulic fracturing-induced seismicity

Faults and Non‐Double‐Couple Components for Induced Earthquakes

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