Open Journal of Earthquake Research

Volume 3, Issue 2 (May 2014)

ISSN Print: 2169-9623   ISSN Online: 2169-9631

Google-based Impact Factor: 1.18  Citations  

Evaluation of Microseismicity Related to Hydraulic Fracking Operations of Petroleum Reservoirs and Its Possible Environmental Repercussions

HTML  XML Download Download as PDF (Size: 1899KB)  PP. 43-54  
DOI: 10.4236/ojer.2014.32006    4,499 Downloads   6,967 Views  Citations

ABSTRACT

Petroleum reservoir operations such as oil and gas production, hydraulic fracturing, and water injection induce considerable stress changes that at some point result in rock failure and emanation of seismic energy. Such seismic energy could be large enough to be felt in the neighborhood of the oil fields, therefore many issues are recently raised regarding its environmental impact. In this research we analyze the magnitudes of microseismicity induced by stimulation of unconventional reservoirs at various basins in the United States and Canada that monitored the microseismicity induced by hydraulic fracturing operations. In addition, the relationship between microseismic magnitude and both depth and injection parameters is examined to delineate the possible framework that controls the system. Generally, microseismicity of typical hydraulic fracturing and injection operations is relatively similar in the majority of basins under investigation and the overall associating seismic energy is not strong enough to be the important factor to jeopardize near surface groundwater resources. Furthermore, these events are less energetic compared to the moderately active tectonic zones through the world and usually do not extend over a long period at considerably deep parts. However, the huge volume of the treatment fluids and improper casing cementing operation seem to be primary sources for contaminating near surface water resources.

Share and Cite:

Abdulaziz, A. (2014) Evaluation of Microseismicity Related to Hydraulic Fracking Operations of Petroleum Reservoirs and Its Possible Environmental Repercussions. Open Journal of Earthquake Research, 3, 43-54. doi: 10.4236/ojer.2014.32006.

Copyright © 2025 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.