Dynamics of fault activation by hydraulic fracturing: Insights from new technologies

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Recent induced earthquakes (i.e. those attributed to human activities) - such as a moderate magnitude 4.5 event near Fort St. John, BC on 30 November, 2018 - provide timely reminders of the potential to trigger felt seismicity during hydraulic fracturing operations. Science-informed strategies to manage induced-seismicity risks are hindered by critical knowledge gaps, including: i) understanding which pre-existing faults are prone to induced seismicity; ii) characterizing the role of slow (aseismic) fault slip in generating earthquakes; iii) calibration of realistic numerical simulations using field observations; and iv) spatial and temporal variability in earthquake-induced ground motions. Technological developments, including advancements in observational networks, Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), advanced methods to create seismicity catalogs and physics-informed machine learning and visual analytics, make these areas of application ripe for advancement that will benefit the Canadian public, regulators and industry. This 3-year research program will combine diverse scientific expertise of a team of researchers at the University of Calgary together with exceptional datasets and experience of a value-chain partnership including 5 Canadian oil and gas companies, 2 high-tech service providers and Geoscience BC. It will thereby create a world-class training environment for 13 highly qualified personnel, including 7 postdoctoral researchers and 6 MSc students, who will be positioned to take on technical leadership roles within academia, government and industry. By identifying and mapping critically stressed faults and understanding their impact on hydrocarbon production, technological advancements within this program will contribute to responsible development of natural resources, improved fundamental understanding of earthquake activation mechanisms, and unique opportunities to generate innovative methods and workflows. The university-industry synergies established through this partnership will create an innovation platform that promises to yield scientific advances of high global significance.