3D geomechanical modelling of induced seismicity including intersecting faults and reservoir compartments

To investigate the physical processes behind induced seismicities due to, for example, production of hydrocarbons from a reservoir, most of the earlier studies performed geomechanical simulations on a simple reservoir geometry. The effect of fluid depletion is, in general, simulated for such a simple geometry. Neglecting the contribution of...

Fault intersection and induced seismicity: the effects on the induced stress field and the dynamic rupture, and their implications

Intersecting faults are often ignored in the geomechanical simulation of induced seismicity. To investigate the effects of fault intersection and the resulting reservoir geometry on induced seismicity, caused, for instance, by gas extraction, we have developed 3D geomechanical models considering two intersecting normal faults and the...

3D geomechanical modelling of induced seismicity: Simulated finite-source to moment tensor inversion

3D geomechanical modelling of induced seismicity: finite source wavefield simulation to moment tensor inversion

Geomechanical modelling is generally used to simulate the nucleation of induce d earthquakes in, for instance the Groningen gas field. We apply quasi static simulation to investigate the stress changes from gas production. When a fault reaches a critical state, dynamic simulation provides information on the dynamic rupture during ea rthqu ake...

Linking geomechanical simulation of induced seismicity to surface seismic observations: Simulated finite fault rupture to moment tensor inversion

Dynamic geomechanical modeling can generate the seismic wavefield caused by a fault rupture. In dynamic fault-rupture modeling, the source is considered to be finite, with a limited extent both in space and in time. This contrasts with the definition of a point source, which is generally assumed to explain the seismic wavefield caused by an...

Modelling dynamic fault slip and seismic wavefield for production-induced seismicity in Groningen

Induced seismicity from a gas-producing region such as Groningen is believed to be caused by reservoir depletion due to long-term gas production. However, because of the complexity and uncertainty regarding the underground structure and composition, it is difficult to quantify the effect on induced seismicity due to gas production. Here we use...

Modelling dynamic fault slip and seismic wavefield for production-induced seismicity in Groningen

Induced seismicity from a gas-producing region such as Groningen is believed to be caused by reservoir depletion due to long-term gas production. However, because of the complexity and uncertainty regarding the underground structure and composition, it is difficult to quantify the effect on induced seismicity due to gas production. Here we use...

Modelling episodic induced seismicity with poroelastic dynamic rupture and large-scale wavefield propagation

Modelling dynamic rupture is essential to correctly describe the process of induced seismicity. Defmod, an open-source finite-element code featuring quasi-static loading, co-seismic volumetric strain, and dynamic rupture, is used to simulate the entire chain of induced seismicity, from pressure evolution due to fluid injection and extraction,...