Pore Fluid Pressure in St. Gallen Geothermal Field (Switzerland) Based on Earthquake Focal Mechanisms

Autor: Raffaella DeMatteis, Bruno Massa, Guido Maria Adinolfi, Ortensia Amoroso, Toshiko Terakawa, Vincenzo Convertito
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Geophysical Research Letters, Vol 51, Iss 6, Pp n/a-n/a (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1944-8007
0094-8276
DOI: 10.1029/2023GL105127
Popis: Abstract Induced seismicity represents a negative drawback during subsurface exploitation for geothermal energy production. Understanding the triggering mechanisms of induced earthquakes can help implement effective seismic hazard mitigation actions. Among the triggering mechanisms, the pore fluid pressure is of primary importance. Here we provide a static picture of the excess pore fluid pressure at the hypocenters of a seismic sequence induced at the deep geothermal field in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in July 2013. We find that in addition to the Coulomb static stress change, fluids play a key role in promoting the sequence. The estimated excess pore fluid pressure for approximately half of the earthquakes is higher than the injection pressure necessary during the well control phase to fight the unexpected gas kick, that accidently occurred during field operations when a trap of overpressured gas was broken.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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