Seismic signature of hydraulic interconnectivity of fractures

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The hydromechanical characterization of a fractured and fluid-saturated subsurface domain has a number of important applications, such as the sustainable use of groundwater, the optimized production of geothermal energy and hydrocarbons, and the safe geological storage of CO2 and nuclear waste. Assessing the hydromechanical properties (permeability and storage capacity) of a fractured rock indirectly, for example, by using seismic data, has been speculated but not yet proven feasible. The most promising speculation is based on recent studies showing that the attenuation of seismic waves is sensitive to the degree of hydraulic interconnectivity of fractures in idealized fracture models. Further research however is necessary to quantify this sensitivity for realistic fracture networks. This is the target of our proposed interdisciplinary research project.