[Geoqus] Call for Abstracts: GSA-GV Session on Induced Seismicity

[Oliver Heidbach]

Dear colleagues,

We invite abstracts for talks and posters for the Theme Session on 
"Induced seismicity - from observation to geomechanical understanding" 
that we are organizing at the Conference "Fragile Earth" in Munich, 
Germany, 4.-7. Sept. 2011. A description of the session is included below.
Invited speaker for our session is Serge Shapiro.

Please note that the deadline for abstract submission is the 25th of May.
The official web address for the meeting including links for registration 
and abstract submission is http://www.geosociety.org/meetings/2011munich/


We are looking forward seeing you in Munich.
Best regards

Birgit Mueller (Landesforschungszentrum Geothermie, KIT, Karlsruhe)
Oliver Heidbach (GFZ Potsdam)



Session description:
Induced seismicity in geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs is a well 
known phenomenon. This seismicity is in particular related to stimulation 
activity to enhance the productivity of the reservoir, but also to normal 
production on long time scales. Also the filling, as well as  changes in 
the impoundment level of reservoirs have been shown to induce or trigger 
seismicity. However, our understanding of the physical processes and their 
dependence on the structural setting of the reservoir is still limited. 
In particular it is unclear how to control the magnitude of the induced 
earthquakes. Public awareness and concern of induced seismicity has become 
ubiquitous in locations where subsurface exploration and storage is 
carried out in close proximity to communities. Furthermore, plans for 
massive CO2 sequestration and storage of radioactive waste in depth have 
also to be assessed in terms of critical changes of the stress field.

The session is addressing both research fields; observation and analysis of 
the induced seismicity in time and space as well as geomechanical, numerical 
modelling of the processess that control the spatio-temporal evolution of 
the stress field. These research field includes topics such as temporal 
variations of physical parameters in reservoirs including stress and 
pressure changes, spatial-temporal patterns of seismicity, b-value changes, 
source mechanisms, relative importance of thermal and fluid induced stress 
changes and pore-pressure stress coupling. In particular we envision to 
foster the discussion on the following questions: What controls the large 
magnitudes events? Is it possible to control via production/stimulation 
parameters the maximum magnitude? Do pre-existing faults that are critically 
stressed prior to underground activity control he earthquake magnitudes? 
How can we relate our observations of induced seismicity and our 
geomechanical understanding and model results into a reservoir site 
specific seismic hazard assessment?