Investigation of induced seismicity mechanisms and magnitude distribution under different stress regimes,fault characteristics,and operational factors

随着人口的增长和生活水平的提高，全球对能源的需求正在推动石油和天然气行业开发开采难度更高、成本更高的低渗透油藏；这些油藏被称为非常规油藏。为了从这些致密岩石中开采页岩气等非常规资源，需要使用水力压裂。这一过程包括将高压流体泵入储集层岩石以产生裂缝，以增加其渗透率。然而，除了产生新的裂缝外，向深层地层注入流体还会在**地质断层上产生局部应力变化，从而导致断层滑动和小地震。这些被称为诱发地震活动，已经成为公众、行业和监管机构关注的对象。为了解决这些担忧，行业合作伙伴正在为这项研究计划提供支持，重点是调查影响发生给定震级地震事件的可能性的因素。目标是提高我们对影响诱发地震活动的因素的了解，以此作为制定评估可能性和减轻潜在危险的战略的一种手段。总体目标将针对三个关键领域：1)应力状态(即区域构造)，2)断层特征(例如，方向、构造复杂性)，以及3)操作因素(例如，注液量)。这项研究将结合现场观察和经验数据，以及受控的实验室实验和最先进的数值模拟。预期结果将有助于促进加拿大在资源开采方面的知识和专门知识，并将改进与诱发地震活动潜力有关的危险评估。这将有助于促进非常规油藏的风险降低战略，从而实现经济和环境上更可持续的作业。该研究计划还将培养高素质的人才，他们将配备独特的学习经验和实践技能集，这些在行业中的需求很高。加拿大对拥有与自然资源开发和环境缓解相关的高级学位的工程师和地球科学家的需求很大。**

With growing populations and rising living standards, worldwide demand for energy resources is pushing the oil and gas industry to develop low permeability reservoirs that are more difficult and costly to produce; these reservoirs are termed unconventional reservoirs. To unlock unconventional resources like shale gas from these tight rocks, hydraulic fracturing is used. This process involves pumping fluids under high pressure into the reservoir rock to generate fractures in order to increase its permeability. However, in addition to generating new fractures, the injection of fluids into deep formations also serves to create localized stress changes on**geological faults that can result in fault slip and small earthquakes. These are referred to as induced seismicity, and have become subject to public, industry, and regulator concerns. To address these concerns, industry partners are providing support for this research program, with focus to be placed on investigating the factors that influence the likelihood of having a seismic event of a given magnitude. The goal is to improve our understanding of factors influencing induced seismicity as a means to develop strategies to assess likelihood and mitigate potential hazards. The overall objectives will target three key areas: 1) stress regime (i.e., regional tectonics), 2) fault characteristics (e.g., orientation, structural complexity), and 3) operational factors (e.g., fluid injection volume). The research will integrate field observations and empirical data, with controlled laboratory experiments and state-of-the-art numerical modelling. The expected results will help contribute to Canada's body of knowledge and expertise in resource extraction, and will deliver improved hazard assessments related to induced seismicity potential. This will help facilitate risk reduction strategies for unconventional reservoirs, leading to economically as well as environmentally more sustainable operations. The research program will also train Highly Qualified Personnel who will be equipped with unique learning experiences and practical skill sets that are in high demand in industry. There is a solid demand in Canada for engineers and geoscientists with advanced degrees related to natural resource development and environmental mitigation.**