Natural and injection-induced seismicity in stable continental regions: Fingerprinting critically stressed fault systems

稳定大陆地区的自然地震活动和注入诱发的地震活动：临界应力断层系统的指纹识别

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-03823
• 负责人: Eaton, David
• 金额: $ 4.23万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=649899
• 关键词: Natural; injection; induced; seismicity; stable

Induced (human-caused) earthquake activity from fluid injection has surged during the last decade in some parts of North America, largely in response to industrial activities such as hydraulic fracturing and saltwater disposal. Most of this increase in seismicity rate has occurred within stable continental regions (SCRs), areas that have not experienced major tectonic activity for at least 60 million years. In contrast to tectonically active regions near plate boundaries, the dynamic behaviour and location of faults within SCRs are often cryptic. This lack of knowledge constitutes a major source of uncertainty as well as an impediment to pre-development risk assessment for induced seismicity. ******Earthquake swarms are seismicity sequences that exhibit a gradual increase and decrease in activity. These sequences lack well-defined aftershocks that are typical of most large earthquakes. Earthquake swarms can occur naturally in SCRs and are thought to be linked to 'fault-valve' behaviour, within zones of weakness that provide conduits for deep fluids to accumulate within the crust. Swarm seismicity has been linked to the formation of hydrothermal ore deposits and may be a characteristic response to the injection of large volumes of overpressured fluids into intrinsically low-permeability rocks, such as hydraulic fracturing for the development of unconventional hydrocarbon resources.******This hypothesis-driven research program will explore what we can learn about the risks of induced seismicity from natural earthquake swarms and, conversely, how induced earthquakes can inform our understanding of natural earthquake cycles in SCRs. This program will address scientific challenges pertaining to the 'fingerprint' of critically stressed faults, as well as time-sensitive societal needs that pertain to management and mitigation of induced seismicity hazards. Fundamental questions that will be considered include: How can earthquake-susceptible faults be recognized and delineated? What are the timescales and processes of fault infiltration by fluids, for both natural swarm seismicity and hydraulic-fracturing induced earthquakes? How does the stress field near a fault change after earthquake rupture? How do the properties of long-inactive faults differ from active fault systems? Do faults that intersect highly overpressured shales become triggered when total dissolved gas pressure exceeds the bubbling pressure -- similar to some volcanic eruptions? ******This research program will provide state-of-the-art yet interdisciplinary training for highly qualified personnel. Graduates of this program will provide future scientific leadership within industry, government or academia. A better understanding of fault systems within SCRs is likely to arise from the proposed systematic analysis, leading to improved risk models for both natural and injection-induced swarm seismicity.

过去十年，在北美一些地区，由流体注入引起的(人为)地震活动激增，这主要是对水力压裂和盐水处理等工业活动的回应。地震活动率的增加大多发生在稳定大陆地区(SCR)，这些地区至少有6000万年没有经历过重大的构造活动。与板块边界附近的构造活动区相比，SCR内断层的动态行为和位置往往是神秘的。这种知识的缺乏是不确定性的一个主要来源，也是对诱发地震活动的开发前风险评估的一个障碍。*地震群是地震活动序列，表现出活动的逐渐增加和减少。这些序列缺乏大多数大地震的典型余震。震群可以在SCR中自然发生，并被认为与“断层阀”行为有关，这些地震群位于为地壳内深层流体积累提供管道的薄弱地带。群体地震活动与热液矿床的形成有关，可能是向本质低渗透率岩石中注入大量超压流体的典型反应，例如为开发非常规油气资源而进行的水力压裂。*这一假说驱动的研究计划将探索我们可以从天然地震群中了解到哪些诱发地震活动的风险，反过来，诱发地震如何帮助我们了解SCR中的自然地震周期。该计划将解决与严重应力断层的“指纹”有关的科学挑战，以及与管理和减轻诱发地震活动危险有关的时间敏感型社会需求。将考虑的基本问题包括：如何识别和划定易地震的断层？对于自然震群地震和水力压裂诱发的地震，断层被流体渗入的时间尺度和过程是什么？地震破裂后断层附近的应力场是如何变化的？长期不活动断裂与活动断裂系统的性质有何不同？当总溶解气体压力超过起泡压力时，与高压页岩相交的断层是否会被触发--类似于一些火山喷发？*该研究计划将为高素质人员提供最先进的跨学科培训。该项目的毕业生将在行业、政府或学术界提供未来的科学领导能力。通过拟议的系统分析，可能会更好地理解SCR内的断层系统，从而改进自然和注入引起的群震活动的风险模型。