Local stress field inverted for a shale gas play based on focal mechanisms determined from the joint source scanning algorithm

• Published in: Earthquake science 2021-01, Vol.34 (3), p.222-233
• Main Authors: Liang, Chuntao, Yu, Yangyang, Wu, Furong, Kang, Liang, Tang, Jian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1674-4519
• DOI: 10.29382/eqs-2021-0003

The joint source scanning algorithm (SSA) scans locations and focal mechanisms of microseismic events simultaneously. Compared to the traditional source scanning algorithm, it yields much more events with extra information of focal mechanisms. The availability of more events and focal mechanisms make it possible to invert for a 2D gridded stress field. As a byproduct of hydrofracturing monitoring, the method offers a new way to extract stress field as a substitute to other more expensive technologies. This method is applied to a hydraulic fracturing dataset collected from one shale gas production field in the southeast of the Sichuan basin. A damped stress inversion is conducted to obtain a 2D stress field. five hydraulic-fracturing induced fractures can be determined from the result. The events associated with these fractures generally have relatively low stacked energy and are limited to the depth of horizontal well. One existing fault (possibly associated with the axis of the central Sichuan uplift) is also determined and the events associated with the existing fault generally have higher stacked energy and are more densely populated. The existing fault may also serve as a structural boundary where the rocks to the NW side are easier to be fractured while events on the other side are sparse with low stacked energy. The existing fault also divides the stress field into two regimes: the maximum compressional stress field to the NW and SE of the fault line are dominantly in NW-SE and N-S directions, respectively.