Abstract Source processes of injection‐induced earthquakes involve complex fluid‐rock interaction often elusive to regional seismic monitoring. Here we combine observations from a local seismograph array in the Montney Formation, northeast British Columbia, and stress modeling examine spatiotemporal evolution 30 November 2018 M w 4.2 (M L 4.5) hydraulic fracturing‐induced earthquake sequence. The isolated occurrence mainshock at depth ∼ 4.5 km crystalline basement 2 days following injection...

Geothermal energy offers great potential for supplying heat to the large district heating networks common in central Europe and is a viable substitute fed into by coal-fired power plants that will soon be decommissioned. In Lower Rhine Embayment, efforts are ongoing explore region's geothermal potential. To facilitate any future drilling testing activities, we contribute seismotectonic prescreening of study area. However, because various anthropogenic noise sources, including open pit...

Abstract The number of earthquakes in the western Canada sedimentary basin (WCSB) has increased drastically last decade related to unconventional energy production. majority reported are correlated spatially and temporally with hydraulic fracturing (HF) well stimulation. In this study, we use waveform data from a new deployment 15 broadband seismic stations spatial area roughly 60×70km2, covering parts Montney Formation, study relationship between HF operations Dawson-Septimus area, British...

Abstract. Passive seismic analyses are a key technology for the exploration and monitoring of subsurface reservoirs. Searching alternative resources in framework energy transition is creating surge identifying as many potential sites possible suitable geothermal exploitation. The Lower Rhine Embayment, at western border North Rhine-Westphalia Germany, an extensional system with very high area experiences moderate but continuous natural seismicity. Here, we report on passive dataset recorded...

Abstract This work presents a high resolution source property study of hydraulic fracturing induced earthquakes in the Montney Formation, low‐permeability tight shale reservoir Kiskatinaw area, northeast British Columbia, Canada. We estimate parameters, including focal mechanism solutions (FMSs), seismic moment, spectral corner frequency, and static stress drop values recorded between July 2017 2020. Waveform‐similarity‐based event classification 8,283 yields 52 families (clusters) 1,014...

Abstract Hydraulic fracturing (HF) operations are widely associated with induced seismicity in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. This study correlates injection parameters of 12,903 HF stages Kiskatinaw area northeast British Columbia an enhanced catalog containing 40,046 earthquakes using a supervised machine learning approach. It identifies relevant combinations geological and operational related to individual efforts decipher fault activation mechanisms. Our results suggest that...

Faults zones in the Earth’s crust alter permeability architecture relative to country rock and can function as fluid conduits. Documented cases of long-distance earthquake interactions suggest that pore-pressure gradients resulting from conduit flow activate seismic slip where receiver faults might be sensitive external forcing. When stress forcing quantified, for example, form ground motions converted stress, it provides an opportunity measure perturbation required nucleate fault...

Dynamic stresses on the order of ~1 kPa from passing waves mainshock earthquakes can trigger aftershocks at remote distances. Here, we investigate prevalence earthquake triggering in northern Chile, where aseismic-slip has been documented. Our twofold approach to quantify triggerability includes a statistical difference-of-means test seismicity-rate changes bracketing candidate times, and waveform-based look for triggered missing local catalog. We find no persistent,...

Source processes of injection induced earthquakes involve complex fluid-rock interaction often elusive to regional seismic monitoring. Here we combine observations from a local seismograph array in the Montney basin, northeast British Columbia, and stress modeling examine spatial temporal evolution 30 November 2018 M 4.5 hydraulic fracturing earthquake sequence. The mainshock occurred at ~ km crystalline basement two days following 2.5 km, suggesting direct triggering by rapid fluid pressure...

The Earth’s crust is permeated with faults and fractures due to its long tectonic history. Faults not only act as zones of weakness but can increase permeability conduits circulate fluids in the underground, making them ideally suited for geothermal energy production. However, human-induced changes in-situ pressure fields have a documented history leading fault (re-)activation form earthquakes (seismic slip) or aseismic slip that does generate measurable ground motion.This study...

Earthquake stress drop values estimated from ground-motion spectra commonly vary by several orders of magnitude, particularly for small earthquakes (~M < 3). Stress-drop have been found to with faulting style, type (intraplate, interplate), depth, and exhibit differences between natural induced earthquakes. Nevertheless, distinguishing uncertainties real trends across data sets is challenging, in part due the variation methodological approaches observational constraints. However,...

Fluid injection/extraction activity related to hydraulic fracturing can induce earthquakes. Common mechanisms attributed induced earthquakes include elevated pore pressure, poroelastic stress change, and fault loading through aseismic slip. However, their relative influence is still an open question. Estimating subsurface rock properties, such as pressure distribution, crack density, fracture geometry help quantify the causal relationship between fluid-rock interaction activation. Inferring...

Abstract The Colorado School of Mines Reservoir Characterization Project (RCP) has performed a multi-year study the Rulison Field in Piceance Basin, cooperation with Williams Production Company. is gas field producing from Fork Formation, which part Mesaverde Group and consists stacked fluvial sandstones. Commercial production depends on hydraulic fracture (frac) stimulation, typically multiple stages targeting sands some coals lower section formation. During fracing, induced seismicity was...

<p>The Dawson-Septimus area near the towns of Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, British Columbia, Canada has experienced a drastic increase in seismicity last ~ 6 years, from no earthquakes reported by Natural Resources (NRCan) prior to 2013 total 200 cataloged events – 2019. The follows extensive horizontal drilling multistage hydraulic fracturing activity that started extract shale gas unconventional siltstone resource Montney Formation. In addition fracturing,...

<p>An increasing number of M3+ earthquakes have been associated with Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) injection activity in low-permeable tight shale formations the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) last decade. These include a M<sub>w </sub>4.6 on 08/17/2015 near Ft. St. John, M<sub>L</sub> 4.5 11/30/2018, and two 3.2 10/05/2019, 10/08/2019 Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Increased seismic Dawson-Septimus area prompted...

<p>The extensive development over the last decade of low-permeability tight shale formations in Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) using hydraulic fracturing (HF) techniques for oil and gas exploration has been associated with  an increasing number M3+ earthquakes (e.g., M<sub>L</sub> 4.5 on 30 November 2018 near Dawson Creek, a M<sub>w </sub>4.6 17 August 2016 Fort St. John). Avoiding economic losses due...

<p>The Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) has experienced an increase in hydraulic fracturing (HF) operations the last decade, accompanied by number of felt earthquakes, including a M<sub>w</sub> 4.6 on 17 August 2015 near Fort St. John and M<sub>L</sub> 4.5 (M<sub>w</sub> 4.2) 30 November 2018 Dawson Creek. While only small percentage HF induce seismicity, majority moderate-sized...

Abstract. Passive seismic datasets are a key technology for exploration and monitoring of subsurface reservoirs. Searching alternative resources in the framework energy transition creates surge identifying as many potential sites possible suitable geothermal exploitation. The Lower Rhine Embayment, at western border North Rhine-Westphalia Germany, is an extensional system with very high area experiences moderate but continuous natural seismicity. Here, we report on passive dataset recorded...