Modelling Gas Production Induced Seismicity Using 2D Hydro-Mechanical Coupled Particle Flow Code: Case Study of Seismicity in the Natural Gas Field in Groningen Netherlands

Jeoung Seok Yoon; Strader Anne; Zhou Jian; Dijkstra Onno; Secanell Ramon; Ki-Bok Min

doi:10.7474/TUS.2023.33.1.057

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2023 Vol.33, Issue 1 Preview Page

Original Article

Modelling Gas Production Induced Seismicity Using 2D Hydro-Mechanical Coupled Particle Flow Code: Case Study of Seismicity in the Natural Gas Field in Groningen Netherlands 2차원 수리-역학적 연계 입자유동코드를 사용한 가스생산 유발지진 모델링: 네덜란드 그로닝엔 천연가스전에서의 지진 사례 연구

28 February 2023. pp. 57-69

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Abstract

In this study, we simulated induced seismicity in the Groningen natural gas reservoir using 2D hydro-mechanical coupled discrete element modelling (DEM). The code used is PFC2D (Particle Flow Code 2D), a commercial software developed by Itasca, and in order to apply to this study we further developed 1)initialization of inhomogeneous reservoir pressure distribution, 2)a non-linear pressure-time history boundary condition, 3)local stress field monitoring logic. We generated a 2D reservoir model with a size of 40 × 50 km² and a complex fault system, and simulated years of pressure depletion with a time range between 1960 and 2020. We simulated fault system failure induced by pressure depletion and reproduced the spatio- temporal distribution of induced seismicity and assessed its failure mechanism. Also, we estimated the ground subsidence distribution and confirmed its similarity to the field measurements in the Groningen region. Through this study, we confirm the feasibility of the presented 2D hydro-mechanical coupled DEM in simulating the deformation of a complex fault system by hydro-mechanical coupled processes.

Keywords

Gas production

Induced seismicity

Discrete element model

Particle Flow Code

Hydro-mechanical coupled process

본 연구에서는 2차원 수리-역학적연계 개별요소모델링(DEM)을 사용하여 네델란드 그로닝엔(Groningen) 천연가스전 저류층의 유발지진을 모사하였다. 수치해석 코드는 ITASCA社의 상용프로그램인 PFC2D (Particle Flow Code 2D)를 사용하였으며 본 수치해석 연구에 적용하기 위해 수리-역학적 연계모델 외 1) 비균질 저류층 압력분포 초기화, 2) 비선형 압력-시간이력 경계조건, 3) 국소 응력 분포 계산 등의 개별모듈을 추가개발, 적용하였다. 그로닝엔 가스전에 분포하는 복잡한 단층 형상을 포함하는 40 × 50 km² 크기의 2차원 모델을 생성하였고, 1960년부터 2020년까지 약 60년 동안의 가스생산, 즉 압력저하로 인한 단층의 파괴거동을 모사하였다. 유발지진의 시공간적 발생을 수치해석모델로 재현하였고 그 발생 메커니즘을 규명하였다. 또한 저류층 압축으로부터 지표에서의 지반침하의 분포를 예측하였고 그로닝엔에서의 실측자료 사이에 유사성을 확인할 수 있었다. 이를 통해 본 연구에서 소개한 2차원 수리-역학적연계 개별요소모델링(DEM)의 복잡한 지질조건과 수리-역학적 연계 프로세스에 의한 단층거동을 구현할 수 있는 툴(tool)로서의 활용성을 확인하였다.

키워드

가스생산

유발지진

개별요소모델

입자유동코드

수리-역학적 연계 프로세스

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Information

Publisher :Korean Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
Publisher(Ko) :한국암반공학회
Journal Title :Tunnel and Underground Space
Journal Title(Ko) :터널과 지하공간
Volume : 33
No :1
Pages :57-69
Received Date : 2023-02-15
Revised Date : 2023-02-21
Accepted Date : 2023-02-24
DOI :https://doi.org/10.7474/TUS.2023.33.1.057

Tunnel and Underground SpaceISSN:1225-1275(Print) 2287-1748(Online)한국암반공학회

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