Seismicity-permeability coupling in the behavior of gas shales, CO2 storage and deep geothermal energy

Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Contemporary methods of energy conversions that reduce carbon intensity include sequestering CO2, fuel switching to lower-carbon sources, such as from gas shales, and recovering deep geothermal energy via EGS. In all of these endeavors, either maintaining the low permeability and integrity of caprocks or in controlling the growth of permeability in initially very-low-permeability shales and geothermal reservoirs represent key desires. At short-timescales of relevance, permeability is driven principally by deformations—in turn resulting from changes in total stresses, fluid pressure or thermal and chemical effects. These deformations may be intrinsically stable or unstable, result in aseismic or seismic deformation, with resulting changes in permeability conditioned by the deformational mode. We report experiments and models to represent the respective roles of mineralogy, texture, scale and overpressures on the evolution of friction, stability and permeability in fractured rocks. Models show a transition from high to low residual coefficient of friction for homogenous mixtures of strong and weak aggregates when the proportion of the weak material reaches 25% with a significant transition occurring at 50%. This transition may occur at much lower proportions where the material is structured, such as in a thin layer. For pre-existing fractures, we observe that fracture permeability declines during shearing while the increased sliding velocity reduces the rate of decline. The physics of these observed behaviors are explored via parametric studies and surface measurement of fractures, showing that both permeability and frictional strength are correlated to the fracture asperity evolution that is controlled in-turn by the sliding velocity and fracture material.

Keywords

Induced seismicity Permeability evolution Shale gas CO2 sequestration EGS 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgements

This work is the result of support provided by DOE Grant DE-FE0023354. This support is gratefully acknowledged.

References

  1. Abe S, Mair K (2005) Grain fracture in 3D numerical simulations of granular shear. Geophys Res Lett 32(5):1–4. doi: 10.1029/2004GL022123 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Abe S, Mair K (2009) Effects of gouge fragment shape on fault friction: new 3D modelling results. Geophys Res Lett 36(23):2–5. doi: 10.1029/2009GL040684 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Allis R, Chidsey T, Gwynn W, Morgan C, White S, Adams M, Moore J (2001) Natural CO2 reservoirs on the Colorado Plateau and southern Rocky Mountains: candidates for CO2 sequestration. In: Proceedings of the first national conference on carbon sequestration. pp 14–17Google Scholar
  4. Anderson RN, Zoback MD (1982) Permeability, underpressures, and convection in the oceanic crust near the Costa Rica Rift, eastern equatorial Pacific. J Geophys Res 87(B4):2860. doi: 10.1029/JB087iB04p02860 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Anderson JG, Wesnousky SG, Stirling MW (1996) Earthquake size as a function of fault slip rate. Bull Seismol Soc Am 86(3):683–690Google Scholar
  6. Bonnet E, Bour O, Odling NE, Davy P, Main I, Cowie P, Berkowitz B (2001) Scaling of fracture system in geological media. Rev Geophys 39(3):347–383CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Bos B, Spiers CJ (2002) Frictional-viscous flow of phyllosilicate-bearing fault rock: microphysical model and implications for crustal strength profiles. J Geophys Res 107(B2):2028. doi: 10.1029/2001JB000301 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Bredehoeft JD, Wolff RG, Keys WS, Shuter E (1976) Hydraulic fracturing to determine the regional in situ stress field, Piceance Basin, Colorado. Bull Geolog Soc Am 87(2):250–258. doi: 10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<250:HFTDTR>2.0.CO;2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Brune JN (1968) Seismic moment, seismicity, and rate of slip along major fault zones. J Geophys Res 73(2):777–784CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Carpenter BM, Marone C, Saffer DM (2009) Frictional behavior of materials in the 3D SAFOD volume. Geophys Res Lett 36(5):1–5. doi: 10.1029/2008GL036660 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Collettini C, Niemeijer A, Viti C, Marone C (2009) Fault zone fabric and fault weakness. Nature 462(7275):907–910. doi: 10.1038/nature08585 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Cundall PA, Strack ODL (1979) A discrete numerical model for granular assemblies. Géotechnique. doi: 10.1680/geot.1979.29.1.47 Google Scholar
  13. Curtis JB (2002) Fractured shale-gas systems. AAPG Bull 11(11):1921–1938. doi: 10.1306/61EEDDBE-173E-11D7-8645000102C1865D Google Scholar
  14. Dieterich JH (1979a) Modeling of rock friction 1. Experimental results and constitutive equations. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 84(B5):2161–2168. doi: 10.1029/JB084iB05p02161 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Dieterich JH (1979b) Modeling of rock friction: 1. Experimental results and constituve equations. J Geophys Res 84(9):2161–2168. doi: 10.1007/BF00876539 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Dieterich JH (1992) Earthquake nucleation on faults with rate- and state-dependent friction. Tectonophysics 211(1):115–134. doi: 10.1016/0040-1951(92)90055-B CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. Dyni JR (2006) Geology and resources of some world oil-shale deposits. US Department of The Interior, US Geological SurveyGoogle Scholar
  18. Ellsworth W (2013) Injection-induced earthquakes. Science 341(6142):142–149. doi: 10.1126/science.1225942 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Elsworth D, Goodman RE (1986) Characterization of rock fissure hydraulic conductivity using idealized wall roughness profiles. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 23(3):233–243. doi: 10.1016/0148-9062(86)90969-1 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Fang Y, den Hartog SAM, Elsworth D, Marone C, Cladouhos T (2016) Anomalous distribution of microearthquakes in the Newberry Geothermal Reservoir: mechanisms and implications. Geothermics 63:62–73. doi: 10.1016/j.geothermics.2015.04.005 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Guglielmi Y, Cappa F, Avouac J, Henry P, Elsworth D (2015) Seismicity triggered by fluid injection-induced aseismic slip. Science 348(6240):1224–1227. doi: 10.1126/science.aab0476 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Ikari MJ, Niemeijer AR, Marone C (2011) The role of fault zone fabric and lithification state on frictional strength, constitutive behavior, and deformation microstructure. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 116(8):1–25. doi: 10.1029/2011JB008264 Google Scholar
  23. Im K, Elsworth D, Guglielmi YG,  Mattioli GS (2015) Use of geodesy to discriminate deformation mechanics in geothermal reservoirs. American Rock Mechanics AssociationGoogle Scholar
  24. Ishibashi T, Asanuma H, Fang Y, Wang C,  Elsworth D (2016) Exploring the link between permeability and strength evolution during fracture shearing. American Rock Mechanics AssociationGoogle Scholar
  25. Kohli AH, Zoback MD (2013) Frictional properties of shale reservoir rocks. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 118(9):5109–5125. doi: 10.1002/jgrb.50346 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Mair K, Marone C (1999) Friction of simulated fault gouge for a wide range of velocities and normal stresses. J Geophys Res 104(B12):28899–28914CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Majer EL, Baria R, Stark M, Oates S, Bommer J, Smith B, Asanuma H (2007) Induced seismicity associated with enhanced geothermal systems. Geothermics 36(3):185–222. doi: 10.1016/j.geothermics.2007.03.003 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Marone C (1998) Laboratory-derived friction laws and their application to seismic faulting. Ann Rev Earth Planet Sci 26:643–696. doi: 10.1146/annurev.earth.26.1.643 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. McGarr A, Simpson D, Seeber L (2002) Case histories of induced and triggered seismicity. Int Geophys 81:647–661. doi: 10.1016/S0074-6142(02)80243-1 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Moore DE, Lockner DA (2011) Frictional strengths of talc-serpentine and talc-quartz mixtures. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 116(B01403):1–17. doi: 10.1029/2010JB007881 Google Scholar
  31. Moore DE, Rymer MJ (2007) Talc-bearing serpentinite and the creeping section of the San Andreas fault. Nature 448(7155):795–797. doi: 10.1038/nature06064 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Morgan JK (2004) Particle dynamics simulations of rate- and state-dependent frictional sliding of granular fault gouge. Pure appl Geophys 161(9–10):1877–1891. doi: 10.1007/s00024-004-2537-y Google Scholar
  33. Morgan JK, Boettcher MS (1999) Numerical simulations of granular shear zones using the distinct element method: 1. Shear zone kinematics and the micromechanics of localization. J Geophys Res 104(B2):2703–2719. doi: 10.1029/1998JB900056 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Morgan JK, McGovern PJ (2005) Discrete element simulations of gravitational volcanic deformation: 1. Deformation structures and geometries. J Geophys Res B Solid Earth 110(5):1–22. doi: 10.1029/2004JB003252 Google Scholar
  35. Niemeijer AR, Spiers CJ (2006) Velocity dependence of strength and healing behaviour in simulated phyllosilicate-bearing fault gouge. Tectonophysics 427(1–4):231–253. doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2006.03.048 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  36. Niemeijer A, Marone C, Elsworth D (2010) Fabric induced weakness of tectonic faults. Geophys Res Lett 37(3):1–5. doi: 10.1029/2009GL041689 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Peng Z, Gomberg J (2010) An integrated perspective of the continuum between earthquakes and slow-slip phenomena. Nat Geosci 3(9):599–607. doi: 10.1038/ngeo940 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Rice JR (2006) Heating and weakening of faults during earthquake slip. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 111(B05311):1–29. doi: 10.1029/2005JB004006 Google Scholar
  39. Rinaldi AP, Rutqvist J, Sonnenthal EL, Cladouhos TT (2015) Coupled THM modeling of hydroshearing stimulation in tight fractured volcanic rock. Transp Porous Media 108:131–150. doi: 10.1007/s11242-014-0296-5 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  40. Ruina A (1983) Slip instability and state variable friction law. J Geophys Res. doi: 10.1029/JB088iB12p10359 Google Scholar
  41. Rutqvist J, Freifeld B, Min KB, Elsworth D, Tsang Y (2008) Analysis of thermally induced changes in fractured rock permeability during 8 years of heating and cooling at the Yucca Mountain Drift Scale Test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45(8):1373–1389. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2008.01.016 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Samuelson J, Spiers CJ (2012) Fault friction and slip stability not affected by CO2 storage: evidence from short-term laboratory experiments on North Sea reservoir sandstones and caprocks. Int J Greenh Gas Control 11:78–90. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2012.09.018 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  43. Samuelson J, Elsworth D, Marone C (2009) Shear-induced dilatancy of fluid-saturated faults: experiment and theory. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 114(12):1–15. doi: 10.1029/2008JB006273 Google Scholar
  44. Schmidt DA, Bürgmann R, Nadeau RM, D’Alessio M (2005) Distribution of aseismic slip rate on the Hayward fault inferred from seismic and geodetic data. J Geophys Res B Solid Earth 110(B08406):1–15. doi: 10.1029/2004JB003397 Google Scholar
  45. Scholz CH (1998) Earthquakes and friction laws. Nature 391(6662):37–42. doi: 10.1038/34097 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. Shapiro SA, Dinske C (2009) Fluid-induced seismicity: pressure diffusion and hydraulic fracturing. Geophys Prospect 57(2):301–310. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2478.2008.00770.x CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. Shapiro SA, Dinske C, Rothert E (2006) Hydraulic-fracturing controlled dynamics of microseismic clouds. Geophys Res Lett 33(L14312):1–5. doi: 10.1029/2006GL026365 Google Scholar
  48. Snow DT (1969) Anisotropic permeability of fractured media. Water Resour Res 5(6):1273–1289. doi: 10.1029/WR005i006p01273 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. Tanikawa W, Sakaguchi M, Tadai O, Hirose T (2010) Influence of fault slip rate on shear-induced permeability. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 115(B07412):1–18. doi: 10.1029/2009JB007013 Google Scholar
  50. Tanikawa W, Tadai O, Mukoyoshi H (2014) Permeability changes in simulated granite faults during and after frictional sliding. Geofluids 14:481–494. doi: 10.1111/gfl.12091 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. Walsh FR, Zoback MD (2015) Oklahoma’s recent earthquakes and saltwater disposal. Sci Adv. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1500195 Google Scholar
  52. Yildirim LTO (2014) Evaluation of petrophysical properties of gas shale and their change due to interaction with water. Master Thesis, The Pennsylvania State UniversityGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, G3 Center and EMS Energy InstitutePennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkUSA
  2. 2.Fukushima Renewable Energy InstituteNational Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyKoriyamaJapan

Personalised recommendations