Insights Into Hydraulic Fracture Growth Gained From a Joint Analysis of Seismometer‐Derived Tilt Signals and Acoustic Emissions

• Published in: Journal of geophysical research. Solid earth 2021-12, Vol.126 (12), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Niemz, P., Dahm, T., Milkereit, C., Cesca, S., Petersen, G., Zang, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic emission; acoustic emissions; Acoustic mapping; Acoustics; Analysis; Broadband; broadband seismometer; Catalogues; Crack propagation; Deformation; Earthquakes; Emissions; Enhanced geothermal systems; Environmental management; Exploitation; Fluids; fracture growth; Fracture mechanics; Geophysics; Geothermal energy; High pressure; Hydraulic fracturing; Injection; injections; Mapping; Microseisms; Monitoring; Permeability; Renewable energy; Renewable resources; Resource management; Rocks; Sedimentary rocks; Seismic activity; Seismicity; Seismographs; Seismometers; Shale; Shale gas; Shales; tilt; Tracking
• ISSN: 2169-9313; 2169-9356
• DOI: 10.1029/2021JB023057

Hydraulic fracturing is performed to enhance rock permeability, for example, in the frame of geothermal energy production or shale gas exploitation, and can potentially trigger induced seismicity. The tracking of increased permeabilities and the fracturing extent is often based on the microseismic event distribution within the stimulated rock volume, but it is debated whether the microseismic activity adequately depicts the fracture formation. We are able to record tilt signals that appear as long‐period transients (< $< $180 s) on two broadband seismometers installed close (17–72 m) to newly formed, meter‐scale hydraulic fractures. With this observation, we can overcome the limitations of the microseismic monitoring alone and verify the fracture mapping. Our analysis for the first time combines a catalog of previously analyzed acoustic emissions ([AEs] durations of 20 ms), indirectly mapping the fractures, with unique tilt signals, that provide independent, direct insights into the deformation of the rock. The analysis allows to identify different phases of the fracturing process including the (re)opening, growth, and aftergrowth of fractures. Further, it helps to differentiate between the formation of complex fracture networks and single macrofractures, and it validates the AE fracture mapping. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the fracturing processes, which may help to reduce fluid‐injection‐induced seismicity and validate efficient fracture formation. Plain Language Summary Hydraulic fracturing (HF) describes the opening of fractures in rocks by injecting fluids under high pressure. The new fractures not only can facilitate the extraction of shale gas but can also be used to heat up water in the subsurface in enhanced geothermal systems, a corner stone of renewable energy production. The fracture formation is inherently accompanied by small, nonfelt earthquakes (microseismic events). Occasionally, larger events felt by the population can be induced by the subsurface operations. Avoiding such events is important for the acceptance of HF operations and requires a detailed knowledge about the fracture formation. We jointly analyze two very different data sets recorded during mine‐scale HF experiments: (a) the tilting of the ground caused by the opening of the fractures, as recorded by broadband seismometers—usually deployed for earthquake monitoring—installed close to the experiments and (b) a catalog of acoustic emissions, seismic sig