Triggering of seismicity by pore-pressure perturbations: Permeability-related signatures of the phenomenon

Abstract

We consider various cases of seismicity, induced by artificial fluid injections in boreholes. Like many other authors, we support the hypothesis that to a large extent the triggering of this seismicity is caused by a diffusive process of the pore pressure relaxation in porous (or fractured), saturated rocks. We show that if this hypothesis is correct, then the spatio-temporal distributions of the seismic events must have several specific features related to the effective permeability of the rock. As a rule the fluid injection- induced seismicity obeys such features. These features can be indications of the diffusive and even hydraulic nature of the seismicity triggering process. From this point of view we analyze the spatio-temporal distribution of the late aftershocks of the Antofagasta (northern Chile) 1995 earthquake. These aftershocks were concentrated in a plane, an approximately 3 km-thick spatial zone. This thin seismogenic layer is a part of the South American subduction zone. The time-distance distribution of the aftershocks along this layer indicates that they could be triggered by a diffusion-like process. Possibly, such a process is the relaxation of the pressure perturbation caused in the pore fluid by the main Antofagasta event. We estimated the permeability required to explain the spatio-temporal distribution of the aftershocks by such a triggering mechanism. The obtained value, 60 mD, is very large. However, it is realistic for a long-time existing and large-scale fault zone.