Back to Search
Start Over
Assessment of ground deformation and seismicity in two areas of intense hydrocarbon production in the Argentinian Patagonia.
- Source :
- Scientific Reports; 11/10/2022, Vol. 12 Issue 1, p1-14, 14p
- Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- The exploitation of both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons may lead to still not well-known environmental consequences such as ground deformation and induced/triggered seismicity. Identifying and characterizing these effects is fundamental for prevention or mitigation purposes, especially when they impact populated areas. Two case studies of such effects on hydrocarbon-producing basins in Argentina, the Neuquén and the Golfo de San Jorge, are presented in this work. The intense hydrocarbon production activities in recent years and their potential link with the occurrence of two earthquakes of magnitude 4.9 and 5 near the operating well fields is assessed. A joint analysis of satellite radar interferometry and records of fluid injection and extraction demonstrate that, between 2017 and 2020, vertical ground displacements occurred in both study areas over active well fields that might indicate a correlation to hydrocarbon production activities. Coseismic deformation models of the two earthquakes constrain source depths to less than 2 km. The absence of seismicity before the beginning of the hydrocarbon activities in both areas, and the occurrence of the two largest and shallow earthquakes in the vicinity of the active well fields just after intensive production periods, points towards the potential association between both phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- RADAR interferometry
FLUID injection
HYDROCARBONS
EARTHQUAKE magnitude
EARTHQUAKES
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20452322
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Scientific Reports
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 160141055
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-23160-6