How Can Fluid Injection Induce Earthquakes? Let’s Be Specific

By EnergyMakers Advisory Group | Articles | Comments are Closed | 14 May, 2018 | 1

EnergyMakers AG’s Underground Injection and Seismicity Operational Risk Report does a deep dive into induced seismicity—and how fluid injection from oilfield activities and wastewater disposal activities might induce felt earthquakes in certain geologic conditions.

According to Myths and Facts by J.L. Rubinstein (USGS) and A.B. Mahani (Geological Survey of Canada), there are four major ways that fluid injection can induce earthquakes:

Fluid injection raises the pore-fluid pressure within a pre-existing fault. An earthquake at such a fault would likely have occurred someday, but injection speeds up the process.
The injection of fluids fills and compresses fluids within pore spaces, causing deformation.
Injection of fluid that is colder than the rock into which it is being injected causers thermoelastic deformation.
Fluid injected adds mass to the injection formation.

If you are interested in topics related to regional induced seismicity, and general underground injection risk management opportunities, check out our comprehensive Underground Injection Risk Report today to learn more about these fluid injection mechanisms, and how to avoid them.

—

Source: Rubinstein, Justin & Mahani, Alireza. (2015). Myths and Facts on Wastewater Injection, Hydraulic Fracturing, Enhanced Oil Recovery, and Induced Seismicity. Seismological Research Letters. 86. 1060-1067. 10.1785/0220150067.

Deformation, Earthquakes, Fluid Injection, Induced Seismicity, Industry Risk Report, Seismicity, Thermoelastic Deformation

A Whole Lotta of Shakin’ Going on in the Continental U.S. – Mother Nature at Work?

By emagstage | Comments are Closed

Many of us jumped to attention with news of the recent high magnitude event near Mentone, Texas (see some of our earlier blogs on the March 26 M 4.6-5.0 earthquake in the Texas Delaware basin). Read more
More Texas Earthquakes Have Regulators Cracking Down on Oilfield Water Disposal

By emagstage | Comments are Closed

The persistent presence of low magnitude earthquakes in the Delaware Basin, namely in Reeves County, is prompting Texas regulators to enact new policies for reviewing disposal well permits. The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC), the stateRead more
Alaska’s Recent Earthquake Just the Latest For The Seismically Active State

By emagstage | Comments are Closed

Alaska’s magnitude-7 quake on November 30th caused major disruptions in and around Anchorage—knocking out power, shaking buildings and breaking major roadways apart. While there have been no reports of fatalities or serious injuries thus far,Read more
Amarillo Earthquake Prompts Questions of Oil and Gas Operations’ Role

By emagstage | Comments are Closed

A magnitude 4.0 earthquake recorded northeast of Amarillo on October 20th has seismologists asking an increasingly familiar question: was the earthquake a result of naturally occurring shifts in fault systems? Or, was it induced byRead more
Did You Know? Measuring Earthquake Epicenters is an Imprecise Science

By emagstage | Comments are Closed

When earthquakes are discussed on the news, reporters always state the location of the quake’s epicenter with such certainty. But in fact, there is a large margin of error associated with earthquake locations derived fromRead more