Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Modeling
1. Identify ways in which simulation models can be scaled appropriately to make the required predictions
of the field observations reported.
2. Conduct focused research to advance development of linked geomechanical and earthquake simulation
models that could be utilized to better understand potential induced seismicity and relate this to number
and size of seismic events.
3. Use currently available and new geomechanical and earthquake simulation models to identify the most
critical geological characteristics, fluid injection or withdrawal parameters, and rock and fault properties
controlling induced seismicity.
4. Develop simulation capabilities that integrate existing reservoir modeling capabilities with earthquake
simulation modeling for hazard and risk assessment. These models can be refined on a probabilistic
basis as more data and observations are gathered and analyzed.
5. Continue to develop capabilities with coupled reservoir fluid flow and geomechanical simulation codes
to understand the processes underlying the occurrence of seismicity after geothermal wells have been
shut in; the results may also contribute to understanding post-shut-in seismicity in relation to other energy
technologies.
Research Specific to CCS with Potential to Understand Induced Seismicity Broadly
1. Use some of the many active fields where CO
2
flooding for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is conducted
to understand more about the apparent lack of felt induced seismic events in these fields; because CO
2
is compressible in the gaseous phase are other factors beyond pore pressure important to understand
in terms of CCS?
2. Develop models to estimate the potential earthquake magnitude that could be induced by large-scale
CCS.
3. Develop detailed physicochemical and fluid mechanical models for injection of supercritical CO
2
into
potential storage aquifers.
require calibration from data from field observations. The success of these models
is compromised in large part due to the lack of basic data at most locations on the
interactions among rock, faults, and fluid as a complex system.
4.
Increase of pore pressure above ambient value due to injection of fluids or decrease
in pore pressure below ambient value due to extraction of fluids has the potential
to produce seismic events. For such activities to cause these events, a certain com-
bination of conditions has to exist simultaneously:
a.
Significant change in net pore pressure in a reservoir
b.
A preexisting, near-critical state of stress along a fracture or fault that is deter-
mined by crustal stresses and the fracture or fault orientation
c.
Fault-rock properties supportive of brittle failure
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