Steps Toward a “Best Practices” Protocol - Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies - page 129

Steps Toward a
“Best Practices” Protocol
THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSIDERING THE ADOPTION OF
BEST PRACTICES
This report has shown that induced seismicity may be associated with the development
of different energy technologies involving fluid injection and sometimes fluid withdrawal
(see, e.g., Chapter 3). Furthermore, despite an increased understanding of the basic causes
of induced seismicity (Chapter 2), these kinds of energy development projects will retain a
certain level of risk for inducing seismic events that will be felt by members of the public
(see Chapter 5). While the events themselves are not likely to be very large or result in any
significant damage, they will be of concern to the affected communities and thus require
both attention before an energy project involving fluid injection gets under way in areas of
known seismic activity (whether tectonic or induced) and management and mitigation
of the effects of any felt seismic events that occur during operation.
This chapter outlines specific practices that consider induced seismicity both before and
during the actual operation of an energy project and that could be employed in the devel-
opment of a “best practices” protocol specific to each energy technology. The aim of any
eventual best practices protocol would be to diminish the possibility of a felt seismic event
from occurring, and to mitigate the effects of an event if one should occur. The committee
views the ultimate successes of any such protocol as being fundamentally tied to the strength
of the collaborative relationships and dialogue among operators, regulators, the research
community, and the public (see also Chapter 4). Indeed, protocols, when properly developed
and understood, can serve to protect and benefit the various parties involved both directly
and indirectly in energy project development.
The chapter begins with a few examples of induced seismicity “checklists” and protocols
in the literature that have been developed for the purpose of management of induced seis-
micity for specific energy projects. The chapter then discusses some of the key components
of these checklists and protocols and develops two induced seismicity protocol “templates,”
one for enhanced geothermal systems and another for wastewater injection wells. The
chapter includes discussion of the incorporation of a “traffic light” system to manage fluid
injection and concludes with a discussion of the role and importance of public outreach
and engagement prior to and during development of energy projects involving fluid injec-
tion. The committee acknowledges that this kind of preemptive management approach