Induced seismicity

1. Exploring the effects of hydraulic fracturing on the 2019 Mw 5.0 Weiyuan earthquake in Sichuan, China 

We develop a 3D fully coupled poroelastic model to simulate stress perturbations from hydraulic fracturing. Applying this model to the 2018 Mw 5.4 Weiyuan earthquake, which is the largest recorded earthquake in the region, we demonstrate that both poroelastic stress and earthquake interactions can trigger the mainshock. Notably, the region affected by earthquake interactions extends beyond the area affected by poroelastic stress caused by hydraulic fracturing.

Tan S., Xue L.*, Zi J., Luo H., Yang H., Zhao L., Exploring the effects of hydraulic fracturing on the 2019 Mw 5.0 Weiyuan earthquake in Sichuan, China, submitted to JGR, under review.

2. The Effect of Hydraulic Fracturing on Seismic Activity in the Changning Area and the Revealed Fault Properties

We integrate rate-and-state friction laws with poroelastic modeling of hydraulic fracturing (HF) stress perturbations to investigate induced seismicity in Changning, China. By comparing observed seismic patterns with our simulations, we can constrain physical parameters, including background normal stress and characteristic relaxation time. Our analysis reveals a spatial dependence in triggering mechanisms: near-field seismicity responds directly to hydraulic fracturing processes, while far-field events are primarily influenced by static Coulomb stress changes and dynamic stresses from earlier earthquakes. The modeling of HF stress perturbation provides a framework to discretize complex physical mechanisms governing induced seismicity.