A risk-based approach for managing hydraulic fracturing–induced seismicity
Ryan Schultz, Gregory C. Beroza, William L. Ellsworth
Abstract
Varying the stop lights Traffic light protocols can help to mitigate induced earthquakes from unconventional oil production. However, they are not geographically tuned to account for how shaking may actually translate to structural damage. Schultz et al. incorporated damage tolerance into a traffic light protocol for the Eagle Ford shale play. They found that shut-off may be necessary more quickly in populated regions, whereas sparsely populated areas of the play can take up to a magnitude 5 earthquake without issue. This risk-based strategy provides a more nuanced approach to regulating induced seismicity. Science , this issue p. 504
Topics & Concepts
Hydraulic fracturingInduced seismicityGeologyMicroseismSeismologyPetroleum engineeringHydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Analysisearthquake and tectonic studiesSeismic Imaging and Inversion Techniques