Fault Reactivation During Fluid Pressure Oscillations: Transition From Stable to Unstable Slip

Noël, Corentin; Passelègue, François; Giorgetti, Carolina; Violay, Marie

doi:10.1029/2019jb018517

Cited by 73 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Moreover, fluid injection into a saw-cut granite sample in stress relaxation test shows that the onset of fault activation may not be predicted by equation 1 at high injection rates. This is presumably caused by a significantly heterogeneous distribution of fluid pressure on the fault plane (Noël et al, 2019;Passelègue et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory Study on Fluid‐Induced Fault Slip Behavior: The Role of Fluid Pressurization Rate

Wang

Kwiatek

Rybacki

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding the physical mechanisms governing fluid‐induced fault slip is important for improved mitigation of seismic risks associated with large‐scale fluid injection. We conducted fluid‐induced fault slip experiments in the laboratory on critically stressed saw‐cut sandstone samples with high permeability using different fluid pressurization rates. Our experimental results demonstrate that fault slip behavior is governed by fluid pressurization rate rather than injection pressure. Slow stick‐slip episodes (peak slip velocity < 4 μm/s) are induced by fast fluid injection rate, whereas fault creep with slip velocity < 0.4 μm/s mainly occurs in response to slow fluid injection rate. Fluid‐induced fault slip may remain mechanically stable for loading stiffness larger than fault stiffness. Independent of fault slip mode, we observed dynamic frictional weakening of the artificial fault at elevated pore pressure. Our observations highlight that varying fluid injection rates may assist in reducing potential seismic hazards of field‐scale fluid injection projects.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory Study on Fluid‐Induced Fault Slip Behavior: The Role of Fluid Pressurization Rate

Wang

Kwiatek

Rybacki

et al. 2020

Geophysical Research Letters

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, fluid overpressure is not the only parameter governing fault reactivation and the associated seismicity (Noël et al 2019). Recent studies have demonstrated that the thermal properties of fluids (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parametric analysis of the elastohydrodynamic lubrication efficiency on induced seismicity

Cornelio

Violay

2020

Geophysical Journal International

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARY During reservoir stimulations, the injection of fluids with variable viscosities can trigger seismicity. Several fault lubrication mechanisms have been invoked to explain the dynamic stress drop occurring during those seismic events. Here, we perform a parametric analysis of the elastohydrodynamic fault lubrication mechanism to assess its efficiency during fluid-induced earthquakes. The efficiency of the mechanism is measured with the dimensionless Sommerfeld number S. Accordingly, we analysed eight well-documented cases of induced seismicity associated with the injection of fluids whose viscosities range from 1 mPa s (water) to 100 mPa s (proppant). We collected information related to the in situ stress field, fault orientation and geometry, moment of magnitude and static stress drop of the events. These parameters allow us to analyse the variation in the Sommerfeld number. Our results show that the estimated dynamic friction on the fault during the event is compatible with the fault weakening predicted by the elastohydrodynamic lubrication theory, particularly for highly viscous fluids.

show abstract

“…Another experiment imposing a pore pressure rate is that of Noël et al (2019). They impose a sinusoidal pressure variation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Pressure Rate on Rate and State Frictional Slip

Rudnicki

Zhan

2020

Geophysical Research Letters

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper analyzes the effects of pore pressure rate for a spring-block system that is a simple model of a laboratory experiment. Pore pressure is increased at a constant rate in a remote reservoir, and slip is governed by rate and state friction. The frequency of rapid slip events increases with the increase of a nondimensional pressure rate that is the ratio of the time scale of frictional sliding to that for pressure increase. As the pressure rate increases, the more rapid increase of pore pressure on the slip surface quickly stabilizes slip events due to rate and state friction. Rate and state and pressure rate effects interact in a limited range of pressure rate and diffusivity. This range includes pressure rates and diffusivities representative of recent laboratory experiments. Plain Language Summary Recent field observations have identified fluid injection as an important factor in causing the dramatic increase of earthquakes in the central United States, and recent laboratory experiments have observed effects of fluid pressure rate on frictional sliding. This paper studies a simple model of a laboratory experiment: a block resting on a frictional surface and pulled by a spring. The frictional resistance to sliding depends on the rate and history of sliding. Fluid pressure is increased at a constant rate at a distance remote from the surface. The paper calculates the types and characteristics of rapid slip events and their dependence on the pressure rate and how fast fluid can diffuse from the reservoir to the frictional surface.

show abstract

Fault Reactivation During Fluid Pressure Oscillations: Transition From Stable to Unstable Slip

Cited by 73 publications

References 53 publications

Laboratory Study on Fluid‐Induced Fault Slip Behavior: The Role of Fluid Pressurization Rate

Laboratory Study on Fluid‐Induced Fault Slip Behavior: The Role of Fluid Pressurization Rate

Parametric analysis of the elastohydrodynamic lubrication efficiency on induced seismicity

Effect of Pressure Rate on Rate and State Frictional Slip

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About