Frictional properties affect earthquake size distributions during fluid injection
Daniel Faulkner
University of Liverpool
- Date & Time
- Location
- Online-only seminar via Microsoft Teams
- Summary
Estimating the size and frequency of earthquakes during subsurface fluid injection is currently not possible. Understanding the fundamental controls on earthquake-size distributions is the first step to making these predictions. This study shows that the laboratory measured frictional stability parameter (a-b) relates closely to fault-related induced earthquake-size distributions (b-values) in a shale gas play. Fluid injection promoted seismicity along faults that cut lithologically distinct horizons, each with characteristic frictional stability parameters and earthquake-size distributions, are compared. Results indicate material properties play a key role in earthquake-size distributions. As such, it may be possible to constrain the expected seismicity from laboratory measurements prior to any fluid injection into the subsurface.
Closed captions are typically available a few days after the seminar. To turn them on, press the ‘CC’ button on the video player. For older seminars that don’t have closed captions, please email us, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.