Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies

In the past several years, some energy technologies that inject or extract fluid from the Earth, such as oil and gas development and geothermal energy development, have been found or suspected to cause seismic events, drawing heightened public attention.


Although only a very small fraction of injection and extraction activities among the hundreds of thousands of energy development sites in the United States have induced seismicity at levels noticeable to the public, understanding the potential for inducing felt seismic events and for limiting their occurrence and impacts is desirable for state and federal agencies, industry, and the public at large. To better understand, limit, and respond to induced seismic events, work is needed to build robust prediction models, to assess potential hazards, and to help relevant agencies coordinate to address them.


Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies identifies gaps in knowledge and research needed to advance the understanding of induced seismicity; identify gaps in induced seismic hazard assessment methodologies and the research to close those gaps; and assess options for steps toward best practices with regard to energy development and induced seismicity potential.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
Summary
1 Induced Seismicity and Energy Technologies
2 Types and Causes of Induced Seismicity
3 Energy Technologies: How They Work and Their Induced Seismicity Potential
4 Governmental Roles and Responsibilities Related to Underground Injection and Induced Seismicity
5 Paths Forward to Understanding and Managing Induced Seismicity in Energy Technology Development
6 Steps Toward a "Best Practices" Protocol
7 Addressing Induced Seismicity: Findings, Conclusions, Research, and Proposed Actions
Appendixes
Appendix A: Committee and Staff Biographies
Appendix B: Meeting Agendas
Appendix C: Observations of Induced Seismicity
Appendix D: Letters between Senator Bingaman and Secretary Chu
Appendix E: Earthquake Size Estimates and Negative Earthquake Magnitudes
Appendix F: The Failure of the Baldwin Hills Reservoir Dam
Appendix G: Seismic Event Due to Fluid Injection or Withdrawal
Appendix H: Pore Pressure Induced by Fluid Injection
Appendix I: Hydraulic Fracture Microseismic Monitoring
Appendix J: Hydraulic Fracturing in Eola Field, Garvin County, Oklahoma, and Potential Link to Induced Seismicity
Appendix K: Paradox Valley Unit Saltwater Injection Project
Appendix L: Estimated Injected Fluid Volumes
Appendix M: Additional Acknowledgments