Microseismic User Group (MUG)

Hydraulic Fracturing Completion Volume is Associated with Induced Earthquake Productivity in the Duvernay Play

Ryan Schultz

Ryan Schultz
Alberta Geological Survey

Wednesday, November 1st, 2017 – 12:00 PM MST
Halliburton Auditorium, 1830, 645 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0Y9

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Abstract

A sharp increase in the frequency of earthquakes near Fox Creek, Alberta began in December 2013 as a result of hydraulic fracturing completions in the Duvernay Formation.  Using a newly compiled hydraulic fracturing database, we explore relationships between injection parameters and seismicity response.  We find that induced earthquakes are associated with pad completions that used larger injection volumes (104-5 m3) and that seismic productivity scales linearly with injection volume.  Injection pressure and rate have limited or insignificant correlation with the seismic response.  Further findings suggest that geological susceptibilities play a prominent role in seismic productivity, as evidenced by spatial correlations in the seismicity patterns.  Together, volume and geological susceptibilities account for ~96% of the variability in the induced earthquake rate near Fox Creek.  We suggest this result is fit by a modified Gutenberg-Richter earthquake frequency-magnitude distribution which provides a conceptual framework with which to forecast induced seismicity hazard.

Biography

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