Relocation hypocenter of microearthquake using Markov Chain simulation: Case study on geothermal field

Abstract

Monitoring of micro seismic activity in the geothermal field is useful to know the fracture controllers in the geothermal reservoir area. However, in determining the point of micro earthquake, hypocenters still contain inherent uncertainties due to several factors such as mismatches velocity model used by the actual subsurface conditions. For that reason, hypocenter relocation by Markov Chain method is used, to simulate the hypocenter point spatially based opportunities transition containing the principle of conditional probability. The purpose of this relocation is to improve the models of the hypocenter so that the interpretation of the subsurface structure is better. From the result of the relocation of using Markov Chain identified fault structures trending below the surface of the northeast-southwest (NE-SW) with approximately N38°E. This structure is suspected as the continuity of the structure in the surface. The depth of the hypocenter is located 758?m above mean sea level more than 800?m below mean sea level.