Fault Weakening During Short Seismic Slip Pulse Experiments: The Role of Pressurized Water and Implications for Induced Earthquakes in the Groningen Gas Field

High-velocity friction experiments on simulated fault gouges sheared at high normal stress and to low displacement are particularly relevant to induced seismicity, which is becoming an important topic in fault mechanics. Using a new, improved set-up, which allows simulation of fault stress and fluid pressure ((Formula presented.)) conditions...

Categorizing seismic risk for the onshore gas fields in the Netherlands

In recent years public concern about earthquakes induced by gas production has increased in the Netherlands. This has mainly been caused by numerous seismic events related to gas depletion in the Groningen gas field, the largest gas field in Western Europe. Induced seismicity has also been observed in 31 smaller gas fields located on land ...

Statistical evidence on the effect of production changes on induced seismicity

Depletion of the Groningen gas field has induced earthquakes, although the north of the Netherlands is a tectonically inactive region. Increased seismic activity raised public concern which led the government to initiate a number of studies with the aim of understanding the cause(s) of the earthquakes. If the relationship between production and...

Using underground gas storage to replace the swing capacity of the giant natural gas field of Groningen in the Netherlands. A reservoir performance feasibility study

In this study we probe the ultimate potential Underground Gas Storage (UGS) capacity of the Netherlands by carrying out a detailed feasibility study on inflow performances of all onshore natura! gas reservoirs. The Netherlands is one of the largest natura! gas producers in Western Europe. The current decline of its national production and...