Injection-induced seismicity (IIS) depends on pore pressure, in-situ stress state, and fault orientation; generally occurs in basement rock that contains fractures and faults; and moves away from the injection well as a nonlinear diffusion process. Therefore, to numerically model IIS a code should incorporate flow and geomechanics, the presence of fractures and faults, and the capability for hydraulic diffusivity to evolve with effective stress and failure history. In this work, we introduce and verify a modeling framework that allows hydraulic diffusivity to evolve as fractures open and close. Details and challenges in code development are discussed, including how the Bandis model for normal fracture deformation can be used to calculate hydraulic diffusivity as a function of effective normal stress. The discrete fracture network and matrix (DFNM) model is implemented in PFLOTRAN such that hydraulic diffusivity has different constitutive relationships for fracture and matrix grid cells. This model is applied to understand the recent IIS near Greeley, Colorado, and its results are compared to: (a) a traditional DFNM model where hydraulic diffusivity cannot evolve and (b) an equivalent porous media (EPM) model where the effect of the fractures are averaged over a large region of rock. The new DFNM model predicts critical pressure will propagate farther from an injection well. This modeling framework shows promise for applications where fracture and matrix flow are important and hydraulic diffusivity is a function of pressure, stress, and/or shear failure history.
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2nd International Discrete Fracture Network Engineering Conference
June 20–22, 2018
Seattle, Washington, USA
Code Development for Modeling Induced Seismicity With Flow and Mechanics Using a Discrete Fracture Network and Matrix Formulation With Evolving Hydraulic Diffusivity
Satish Karra
Satish Karra
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Paper presented at the 2nd International Discrete Fracture Network Engineering Conference, Seattle, Washington, USA, June 2018.
Paper Number:
ARMA-DFNE-18-0565
Published:
June 20 2018
Citation
Birdsell, Daniel, Rajaram, Hari, and Satish Karra. "Code Development for Modeling Induced Seismicity With Flow and Mechanics Using a Discrete Fracture Network and Matrix Formulation With Evolving Hydraulic Diffusivity." Paper presented at the 2nd International Discrete Fracture Network Engineering Conference, Seattle, Washington, USA, June 2018.
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