Induced Seismicity in Subsurface Technologies:
New Operational Constraints in Need of New Computational Models
Ruben Juanes
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract:
The coupling between subsurface flow and geomechanical deformation is critical in the assessment of the environmental impacts of groundwater use, underground liquid waste disposal, geologic storage of carbon dioxide, and exploitation of shale gas reserves. In particular, seismicity induced by fluid injection and withdrawal has emerged as a central element of the scientific discussion around subsurface technologies that tap into water and energy resources. Here we present a new computational approach to model coupled multiphase flow and geomechanics of faulted reservoirs. We present the application of the coupled flow-geomechanics simulation technology to the post mortem analysis of several earthquake sequences. These early applications suggest that computational modeling of coupled flow and geomechanics, in combination with geologic, seismotectonic, and geodetic constraints, provides a promising approach for assessing and managing risk due to induced seismicity.
Biography:
Ruben Juanes is the ARCO Associate Professor in Energy Studies, in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. Prior to joining the MIT faculty, he was Acting Assistant Professor at Stanford University, and Assistant Professor at UT Austin, both in their Petroleum Engineering Departments. He directs a research group that investigates multiphase flow through porous media, with applications to large-scale Earth science problems in the areas of energy and environment: oil and gas recovery, methane hydrates, geologic carbon sequestration, and water infiltration in soil. He is the recipient of the inaugural US Department of Energy Early Career Award and the DOE Geoscience Award. He holds MS and PhD Degrees from the University of California at Berkeley.