Geophysical Research Letters (Oct 2024)

Earthquake Growth Inhibited at Higher Coulomb Stress Change Rate at Groningen

  • Y. Tamama,
  • M. Acosta,
  • S. J. Bourne,
  • J. P. Avouac

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110139
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 51, no. 20
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract Gas extraction from the Groningen gas field resulted in significant induced seismicity. We analyze the magnitude‐frequency distribution of these earthquakes in space, time and in view of stress changes calculated based on gas production and reservoir properties. Previous studies suggested variations related to reservoir geometry and stress. While we confirm the spatial variations, we do not detect a clear sensitivity of b‐value to Coulomb stress changes. However, we find that b‐value correlates positively with the rate of Coulomb stress changes. This correlation is statistically significant and robust to uncertainties related to stress change calculation. This study thus points to a possible influence of stress change rate on the probability of the magnitude of induced earthquakes.

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