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A Reservoir–Geomechanical Model to Study the Likelihood of Tensile and Shear Failure in the Caprock of Weyburn CCS Project with Regard to Interpretation of Microseismic Data

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Abstract

According to poroelastic theory and also field observations, an increase in reservoir pore pressures can result in a decrease in horizontal stresses in the seal layers. This reduction is in favor of hydrofracture initiation and reactivation of weak planes and has to be studied in caprock integrity analyses. In this paper, a field scale reservoir–geomechanical (GEM-FLAC3D) model is developed for the Phase IB area of the Weyburn (Canada) CCS project that is located in Williston sedimentary basin. A one-way coupling has been conducted between the two codes for the period of CO2 injection in Phase IB area from 2000 to 2010. Therefore, the reservoir pore pressures at selected timesteps are unidirectionally fed to the FLAC3D. In order to study the likelihood of tensile and shear failure in the seal layer on top as a result of stress transfer due to poroelastic effects, two margin ratios are defined for tensile and shear failure and their variations are studied above the reservoir upon changes in pore pressures within the reservoir. The results show that overall; the likelihood of shear failure has been about 25% greater than that of tensile failure in Weyburn. However, between 2008 and 2009, the pressures were high enough to trigger both tensile and shear mechanisms above the reservoir. A discussion is also presented on relevance of this study for interpretation of microseismic data with regard to failure margin ratios, magnitudes and distribution of events recorded in each year.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Alireza Jafari and Stephan Talman from Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF) for providing us with their GEM model. We would like to thank Don White, Neil Wildgust, Joseph Laszlo and Norm Sacuta from PTRC for providing us with the Weyburn dataset. The help by Dr. Joe Cheng from Itasca with FLAC3D features is gratefully acknowledged. The constructive comments by Dr. Jim Hazzard and three anonymous reviewers on the paper are appreciated.

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  1. NREF/CNRL Markin Bldg, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2W2, Canada

    Cyrus Khazaei & Rick Chalaturnyk

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Khazaei, C., Chalaturnyk, R. A Reservoir–Geomechanical Model to Study the Likelihood of Tensile and Shear Failure in the Caprock of Weyburn CCS Project with Regard to Interpretation of Microseismic Data. Geotech Geol Eng 35, 2571–2595 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-017-0262-4

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