Monitoring in situ deformation induced by a fluid injection in a fault zone in shale using seismic velocity changes

Abstract:

We monitor seismic velocity changes during an experiment at decametric scale aimed at artificially reactivate a fault zone by a high-pressure hydraulic injection in a shale formation of the underground site of Tournemire, South of France. A dense and a multidisciplinary instrumentation, with measures of pressure, fluid flow, strain, seismicity, seismic properties and resistivity allow for the monitoring of this experiment. We couple hydromechanical and seismic observations of the fault and its adjacent areas to better understand the deformation process preceding ruptures, and the role played by fluids. 9 accelerometers recorded repeated hammers shots on the tunnel walls. For each hammer shot we measured small travel time delays on direct P and S waves. We then located the seismic velocity perturbations using a tomography method. At low injection pressure, i.e. P< 15 Bars, we observe an increase of P-waves velocity around the injection, while we measure no change in S waves velocity. When the pressure overcomes 15 Bars, velocity perturbations dramatically increase with both P and S waves affected. A decrease of velocity is observed close to the injection point and is surrounded by regions of increasing velocity. Our observations are consistent with hydromechanical measures. Below 15 Bars, we interpret the P-wave velocity increase to be related to the compression of the fault zone around the injection chamber. Above 15 Bars, we measure a shear and dilatant fault movement, and a rapid increase in the injected fluid flow. At this step, our measures are coherent with a poroelastic opening of the fault with velocities decrease at the injection source and velocities increase related to stress transfer in the far field. Velocity changes prove to be efficient to monitor stress/strain variation in an activated fault, even if these observations might produce complex signals due to the highly contrasted hydromechanical responses in a heterogeneous media such as a fault zone.