Stress Management In The Context Of Induced Seismicity In Subsurface Reservoirs
Event details
| Date | 09.07.2020 |
| Hour | 16:00 › 18:00 |
| Speaker | Barnaby Padraig Fryer, Laboratory of Soil Mechanics, EPFL |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract
The stress state of the subsurface has been shown to have an influence on a number of key processes. For this reason, it has long been recognized that the state of stress is an important parameter for subsurface industrial operations such as hydrocarbon production, Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) stimulation, carbon storage, and hydraulic fracturing. Generally, however, the state of stress does not remain constant during many of these operations.The numerous effects evidencing a changing stress that have been observed during these operations demonstrate an operator’s ability to alter the state of stress, yet deliberate attempts to alter the stress state for the benefit of future operations have only been suggested a handful of times.
Here, this idea of altering the state of stress is extended through a series of investigations. Two studies were performed with a focus on limiting the total stress changes that occur during fluid production, with a view to limit production-induced seismicity. In a following study, it is suggested thathigh stress path reservoirs are attractive targets for fluid injection, as total stress changes will result in an increased stability despite increasing pore pressure. Further, the concept of stress preconditioning is introduced, such that operators alter the stress state of an EGS reservoir to promote more favorable earthquake distributions. These concepts are all forms of reservoir management that reduce the risk associated with induced seismicity. Following this, in a numerical study, the idea of stress preconditioning is extended to allow for directed stimulation treatments in EGSs. Finally, the idea of inducing stress jumps through production such that hydraulic fractures do not propagate vertically is evaluated by means of scaling analyses and numerical simulation, with implications for carbon storage. More than the individual propositions, this thesis promotes the mindset that, where appropriate, attempts should be made to alter the state of stress for the benefit of future operations.
Speaker
Barnaby completed his MSc at the TU Delft under the supervision of Prof. Hadi Hajibeygi and Dr. Matteo Cusini on multi-scale reservoir simulation. Barnaby then moved to EPFL, defending his PhD on subsurface stress management, performed under the supervision of Prof. Lyesse Laloui and Dr. Gunter Siddiqi, in a private defense in early 2020. Barnaby has since begun a postdoc with Prof. Marie Violay in the Laboratory for Experimental Rock Mechanics at EPFL.
The stress state of the subsurface has been shown to have an influence on a number of key processes. For this reason, it has long been recognized that the state of stress is an important parameter for subsurface industrial operations such as hydrocarbon production, Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) stimulation, carbon storage, and hydraulic fracturing. Generally, however, the state of stress does not remain constant during many of these operations.The numerous effects evidencing a changing stress that have been observed during these operations demonstrate an operator’s ability to alter the state of stress, yet deliberate attempts to alter the stress state for the benefit of future operations have only been suggested a handful of times.
Here, this idea of altering the state of stress is extended through a series of investigations. Two studies were performed with a focus on limiting the total stress changes that occur during fluid production, with a view to limit production-induced seismicity. In a following study, it is suggested thathigh stress path reservoirs are attractive targets for fluid injection, as total stress changes will result in an increased stability despite increasing pore pressure. Further, the concept of stress preconditioning is introduced, such that operators alter the stress state of an EGS reservoir to promote more favorable earthquake distributions. These concepts are all forms of reservoir management that reduce the risk associated with induced seismicity. Following this, in a numerical study, the idea of stress preconditioning is extended to allow for directed stimulation treatments in EGSs. Finally, the idea of inducing stress jumps through production such that hydraulic fractures do not propagate vertically is evaluated by means of scaling analyses and numerical simulation, with implications for carbon storage. More than the individual propositions, this thesis promotes the mindset that, where appropriate, attempts should be made to alter the state of stress for the benefit of future operations.
Speaker
Barnaby completed his MSc at the TU Delft under the supervision of Prof. Hadi Hajibeygi and Dr. Matteo Cusini on multi-scale reservoir simulation. Barnaby then moved to EPFL, defending his PhD on subsurface stress management, performed under the supervision of Prof. Lyesse Laloui and Dr. Gunter Siddiqi, in a private defense in early 2020. Barnaby has since begun a postdoc with Prof. Marie Violay in the Laboratory for Experimental Rock Mechanics at EPFL.
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Practical information
- Informed public
- Registration required
Organizer
- Laloui Research Group, Laboratoire de mécanique des sols (LMS)