Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs

Hydraulic stimulation treatments required to produce deep geothermal reservoirs present the risk of generating induced seismicity. Understanding the processes that operate during the stimulation phase is critical for minimising and preventing the uncertainties associated with the exploitation of the...

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Authors: Piris, G., Griera i Artigas, Albert, Gómez Rivas, Enrique, Herms, I., McClure, M.W., Norbeck, J.H.
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2018
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/162529
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/162529
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Energia geotèrmica
Falles (Geologia)
Geothermal resources
Faults (Geology)
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repository_id_str
spelling Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirsPiris, G.Griera i Artigas, AlbertGómez Rivas, EnriqueHerms, I.McClure, M.W.Norbeck, J.H.Energia geotèrmicaFalles (Geologia)Geothermal resourcesFaults (Geology)Hydraulic stimulation treatments required to produce deep geothermal reservoirs present the risk of generating induced seismicity. Understanding the processes that operate during the stimulation phase is critical for minimising and preventing the uncertainties associated with the exploitation of these reservoirs. It is especially important to understand how the phenomenon of induced seismicity is related to the pressurisation of networks of discrete fractures. In this study, we use the numerical simulator CFRAC to analyse pressure drops commonly observed during stimulation of deep geothermal wells. We develop a conceptual model of a fractured geothermal reservoir to analyse the conditions required to produce pressure drops and their consequences on the evolution of seismicity, fluid pressure, and fracture permeability throughout the system. For this, we combine two fracture sets, one able to be stimulated by shear-mode fracturing and another one able to be stimulated by opening-mode fracturing. With this combination, the pressure drop can be triggered by a seismic event in the shear-stimulated fracture that is hydraulically connected with an opening-mode fracture. Our results indicate that pressure drops are not produced by the new volume created by shear dilatancy, but by the opening of the conjugated tensile fractures. Finally, our results reveal that natural fracture/splay fracture interaction can potentially explain the observed pressure drops at the Rittershoffen geothermal site.Springer Open2018info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/162529Articles publicats en revistes (Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésReproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-018-0110-7Geothermal Energy, 2018, vol. 6, num. 24https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-018-0110-7cc-by (c) Piris, G. et al., 2018http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/1625292026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
title Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
spellingShingle Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
Piris, G.
Energia geotèrmica
Falles (Geologia)
Geothermal resources
Faults (Geology)
title_short Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
title_full Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
title_fullStr Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
title_full_unstemmed Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
title_sort Fluid pressure drops during stimulation of segmented faults in deep geothermal reservoirs
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Piris, G.
Griera i Artigas, Albert
Gómez Rivas, Enrique
Herms, I.
McClure, M.W.
Norbeck, J.H.
author Piris, G.
author_facet Piris, G.
Griera i Artigas, Albert
Gómez Rivas, Enrique
Herms, I.
McClure, M.W.
Norbeck, J.H.
author_role author
author2 Griera i Artigas, Albert
Gómez Rivas, Enrique
Herms, I.
McClure, M.W.
Norbeck, J.H.
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Energia geotèrmica
Falles (Geologia)
Geothermal resources
Faults (Geology)
topic Energia geotèrmica
Falles (Geologia)
Geothermal resources
Faults (Geology)
description Hydraulic stimulation treatments required to produce deep geothermal reservoirs present the risk of generating induced seismicity. Understanding the processes that operate during the stimulation phase is critical for minimising and preventing the uncertainties associated with the exploitation of these reservoirs. It is especially important to understand how the phenomenon of induced seismicity is related to the pressurisation of networks of discrete fractures. In this study, we use the numerical simulator CFRAC to analyse pressure drops commonly observed during stimulation of deep geothermal wells. We develop a conceptual model of a fractured geothermal reservoir to analyse the conditions required to produce pressure drops and their consequences on the evolution of seismicity, fluid pressure, and fracture permeability throughout the system. For this, we combine two fracture sets, one able to be stimulated by shear-mode fracturing and another one able to be stimulated by opening-mode fracturing. With this combination, the pressure drop can be triggered by a seismic event in the shear-stimulated fracture that is hydraulically connected with an opening-mode fracture. Our results indicate that pressure drops are not produced by the new volume created by shear dilatancy, but by the opening of the conjugated tensile fractures. Finally, our results reveal that natural fracture/splay fracture interaction can potentially explain the observed pressure drops at the Rittershoffen geothermal site.
publishDate 2018
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2018
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/162529
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/162529
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-018-0110-7
Geothermal Energy, 2018, vol. 6, num. 24
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40517-018-0110-7
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc-by (c) Piris, G. et al., 2018
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv cc-by (c) Piris, G. et al., 2018
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Open
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Open
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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