Fault zone hydrogeology

Bense, Victor; Gleeson, Tom; Loveless, Sian; Bour, Olivier; Scibek, Jacek

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.09.008

Cited by 593 publications

(398 citation statements)

References 206 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

384

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…For low-porosity (<10 %) and permeability (10 −15 m 2 ) rocks, bulk porosity and permeability are primarily controlled by the fracture-network properties, where individual fractures with a moderate aperture (∼100-250 μm) can still control local permeability (Bense et al 2013). The available data show that the increase of Fig.…”

Section: Discussion Generation and Hydrogeological Significance Of Famentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A long-lived history of progressive deformation can be expected to lead to a more complex buildup of faults with potentially asymmetric permeability structures (Wibberley and Shimamoto 2003). Fault-zone thickness shows a clear positive correlation with displacement (Bense et al 2013;Childs et al 2009) but is strongly depending on the overall deformation history (Savage and Brodsky 2011;Shipton et al 2006 and references cited there).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is vast literature on carbonate fault zones that are generally characterized by wide zones of fractured rock (distributed strain) and narrow zones of fault rocks (zones of localized strain; Aydin 2000; Bense et al 2013 for full reviews; Faulkner et al 2010). However, the subsurface hydrogeological behaviour of faults in carbonate aquifers is very difficult to determine (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bense and Person 2006;Bense et al 2013 for full reviews; Faulkner et al 2008;Leray et al 2013;Faulkner 2008, 2009), since these rocks host some of the world's most active large faults or important hydrocarbon reservoirs. In crystalline rocks, fault cores contain breccias and gouges of strongly reduced permeability along the principal slip plane, whereas fractured rocks of the damage zones form permeable conduits oriented parallel to the fault plane (Caine et al 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Faults reveal a wide range of hydraulic behaviours, acting as conduits, barriers or mixed conduit-barrier systems (Aydin 2000;Bense et al 2013 for full reviews; Caine et al 1996;Faulkner et al 2010). The hydraulic behaviour of fault zones is governed by initial host-rock composition, deformation mechanisms working during fault-zone evolution, fault-zone architecture and alteration of fault zones (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Hydrogeological properties of fault zones in a karstified carbonate aquifer (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria)

2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study presents a comparative, field-based hydrogeological characterization of exhumed, inactive fault zones in low-porosity Triassic dolostones and limestones of the Hochschwab massif, a carbonate unit of high economic importance supplying 60 % of the drinking water of Austria's capital, Vienna. Cataclastic rocks and sheared, strongly cemented breccias form low-permeability (<1 mD) domains along faults. Fractured rocks with fracture densities varying by a factor of 10 and fracture porosities varying by a factor of 3, and dilation breccias with average porosities >3 % and permeabilities >1,000 mD form high-permeability domains. With respect to fault-zone architecture and rock content, which is demonstrated to be different for dolostone and limestone, four types of faults are presented. Faults with single-stranded minor fault cores, faults with single-stranded permeable fault cores, and faults with multiple-stranded fault cores are seen as conduits. Faults with single-stranded impermeable fault cores are seen as conduit-barrier systems. Karstic carbonate dissolution occurs along fault cores in limestones and, to a lesser degree, dolostones and creates superposed highpermeability conduits. On a regional scale, faults of a particular deformation event have to be viewed as forming a network of flow conduits directing recharge more or less rapidly towards the water table and the springs. Sections of impermeable fault cores only very locally have the potential to create barriers.

show abstract

Section: Discussion Generation and Hydrogeological Significance Of Famentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Hydrogeological properties of fault zones in a karstified carbonate aquifer (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria)

2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Shallow, old, and hydrologically insignificant fault zones in the Appalachian orogen

Malgrange

Gleeson

2014

JGR Solid Earth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The permeability of fault zones impacts diverse geological processes such as hydrocarbon migration, hydrothermal fluid circulation, and regional groundwater flow, yet how fault zones affect groundwater flow at a regional scale (1-10 km) is highly uncertain. The objective of this work is to determine whether faults affect regional patterns of groundwater flow, by using radioactive radon and chloride to quantify groundwater discharge to lakes underlain by faults and not underlain by faults. We sampled lakes overlying the Paleozoic Appalachian fold and thrust belt in the Eastern Townships in Québec, and compared our results to a previous study in a crystalline watershed in the Canadian Shield. The field data was analyzed with an analytical geochemical mixing model. The uncertainties of model parameters were assessed in a sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulation, and the difference between lakes tested with statistical analysis. While the model results indicate non-negligible groundwater discharge for most of the lakes in the Paleozoic orogen, the difference between the groundwater discharge rate into the lakes located on faults and the other lakes is not statistically significant. However, the groundwater discharge rate to lakes in the Paleozoic orogeny is significantly higher than lakes that overlay crystalline bedrock, which is consistent with independent estimates of permeability. The rate of groundwater discharge is not significantly enhanced or diminished around the thrust fault zones, suggesting that in a regional scale, permeability of fault zones is not significantly different from the bedrock permeability at shallow depth in this old, tectonically-inactive orogen.

show abstract

Hydraulic fracturing in faulted sedimentary basins: Numerical simulation of potential contamination of shallow aquifers over long time scales

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] Hydraulic fracturing, used to economically produce natural gas from shale formations, has raised environmental concerns. The objective of this study is to assess one of the largely unexamined issues, which is the potential for slow contamination of shallow groundwater due to hydraulic fracturing at depth via fluid migration along conductive faults. We compiled publically available data of shale gas basins and hydraulic fracturing operations to develop a two-dimensional, single-phase, multispecies, density-dependent, finite-element numerical groundwater flow and mass transport model. The model simulates hydraulic fracturing in the vicinity of a permeable fault zone in a generic, low-recharge, regional sedimentary basin in which shallow, active groundwater flow occurs above nearly stagnant brine. A sensitivity analysis of contaminant migration along the fault considered basin, fault and hydraulic fracturing parameters. Results show that specific conditions are needed for the slow contamination of a shallow aquifer: a high permeability fault, high overpressure in the shale unit, and hydrofracturing in the upper portion of the shale near the fault. Under such conditions, contaminants from the shale unit reach the shallow aquifer in less than 1000 years following hydraulic fracturing, at concentrations of solutes up to 90% of their initial concentration in the shale, indicating that the impact on groundwater quality could be significant. Important implications of this result are that hydraulic fracturing should not be carried out near potentially conductive faults, and that impacts should be monitored for long timespans. Further work is needed to assess the impact of multiphase flow on contaminant transport along natural preferential pathways.

show abstract

Fault zone hydrogeology

Cited by 593 publications

References 206 publications

Hydrogeological properties of fault zones in a karstified carbonate aquifer (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria)

Hydrogeological properties of fault zones in a karstified carbonate aquifer (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria)

Shallow, old, and hydrologically insignificant fault zones in the Appalachian orogen

Hydraulic fracturing in faulted sedimentary basins: Numerical simulation of potential contamination of shallow aquifers over long time scales

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About