Hydro-mechanical simulation and analysis of induced seismicity for a hydraulic stimulation test at the Reykjanes geothermal field, Iceland

Abstract

The combination of seismic analysis with advanced physics-based simulation provides an opportunity to further understand injection-induced fault reactivation, including the hydro-mechanical interplay between different faults and the rock where they reside. Here, this is investigated based on data from hydraulic stimulation of a well at the Reykjanes geothermal field. Central is the development of an interdisciplinary framework for integration of different data types towards a 3D, hydro-mechanical and faulted geothermal reservoir simulation model. This work shows how seismic interpretations can improve simulation models and, reciprocally, how fully coupled physics-based modeling can add to seismic interpretations in analysis of fault reactivation.