Spatiotemporal changes in seismic velocity associated with hydraulic fracturing-induced earthquakes near Fox Creek, Alberta, Canada

To characterize the subsurface geomechanical response to hydraulic fracturing (HF) activities, we study the spatiotemporal changes of seismic velocity during the completion of four HF wells in the Fox Creek area, Alberta, Canada. We estimate temporal velocity changes (dv/v) from ambient seismic noise recorded during the Tony Creek Dual Microseismic Experiment (ToC2ME) by comparing a 5-day stacked noise correlation function with a reference noise correlation function stacked over the deployment period. In the frequency band (0.1-0.4 Hz) most sensitive to the injection depths (similar to 3.4 km), we observe daily dv/v that revealed alternating gradual velocity decreases and increases with magnitudes in the range of +/- 0.9%. We found a strong temporal correlation between the onset of velocity decreases and periods of intense seismicity, suggesting that the observed dv/v reductions are likely caused by stress-induced subsurface deformation due to elevated pore pressures, increased crack density, and ground shaking. A period of dv/v increase observed between the beginning and end of different well stimulation is attributed to crustal healing. Comparing the dv/v time series with injection parameters, we observed a 272.66% increase in induced seismicity and 50% more reduction in dv/v during the second injection phase that are correlated with 90.53%, 169.64%, and 4.34% increase in the injection volume, rate, and pressure, respectively. Our study provides valuable new information on the changes in reservoir elastic properties within the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. It also demonstrates that coda wave interferometry using data from dense seismic arrays near injection sites can be an additional tool for monitoring hydraulic fracturing operations.

Automated summary

This study investigates the spatiotemporal changes of seismic velocity during the completion of hydraulic fracturing wells in the Fox Creek area, Alberta, Canada. It reveals a temporal correlation between velocity decreases and seismic activity, likely due to stress-induced subsurface deformation. By comparing injection parameters, it shows a correlation between induced seismicity and reduction in dv/v.