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Correlating Laboratory Observations of Fracture Mechanical Properties to Hydraulically-Induced Microseismicity in Geothermal Reservoirs.

DE2008911189

Publication Date	2006
Personal Author	Karner, S. L.
Page Count	9
Abstract	To date, microseismicity has provided an invaluable tool for delineating the fracture network produced by hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs. While the locations of microseismic events are of fundamental importance, there is a wealth of information that can be gleaned from the induced seismicity (e.g. fault plane solutions, seismic moment tensors, source characteristics). Closer scrutiny of the spatial and temporal evolution of seismic moment tensors can shed light on systematic characteristics of fractures in the geothermal reservoir. When related to observations from laboratory experiments, these systematic trends can be interpreted in terms of mechanical processes that most likely operate in the fracture network. This paper reports on mechanical properties that can be inferred from observations of microseismicity in geothermal systems. These properties lead to interpretations about fracture initiation, seismicity induced after hydraulic shut-in, spatial evolution of linked fractures, and temporal evolution of fracture strength.
Keywords	Geothermal energy Fracture properties Hydraulics Fractures Mechanical properties Reservoir engineering Seismicity Stimulation Transport Trends
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200819
Contract Number	DE-AC07-99ID-13727

Correlating Laboratory Observations of Fracture Mechanical Properties to Hydraulically-Induced Microseismicity in Geothermal Reservoirs.

Correlating Laboratory Observations of Fracture Mechanical Properties to Hydraulically-Induced Microseismicity in Geothermal Reservoirs.
DE2008911189

Publication Date	2006
Personal Author	Karner, S. L.
Page Count	9
Abstract	To date, microseismicity has provided an invaluable tool for delineating the fracture network produced by hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs. While the locations of microseismic events are of fundamental importance, there is a wealth of information that can be gleaned from the induced seismicity (e.g. fault plane solutions, seismic moment tensors, source characteristics). Closer scrutiny of the spatial and temporal evolution of seismic moment tensors can shed light on systematic characteristics of fractures in the geothermal reservoir. When related to observations from laboratory experiments, these systematic trends can be interpreted in terms of mechanical processes that most likely operate in the fracture network. This paper reports on mechanical properties that can be inferred from observations of microseismicity in geothermal systems. These properties lead to interpretations about fracture initiation, seismicity induced after hydraulic shut-in, spatial evolution of linked fractures, and temporal evolution of fracture strength.
Keywords	Geothermal energy Fracture properties Hydraulics Fractures Mechanical properties Reservoir engineering Seismicity Stimulation Transport Trends
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	Idaho National Engineering Lab., Idaho Falls.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200819
Contract Number	DE-AC07-99ID-13727