| Title | Geomechanical Analysis of the Hydraulic Stimulations in Borehole PX2 at Pohang EGS Site, South Korea |
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| Authors | Andrés ALCOLEA, Peter MEIER, Victor VILARASA, Sebastià OLIVELLA, Jesús CARRERA |
| Year | 2020 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | geomechanics, induced seismicity, high-pressure injection, poroelasticity, Pohang earthquake, Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) |
| Abstract | A Mw 5.5 earthquake struck the city of Pohang on November 2017, following a sequence of five hydraulic stimulations of an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS). The triggering mechanism of the mainshock is analyzed by means of a fully coupled hydromechanical model to better understand the behavior of the fault system at the vicinity of the EGS. The results reveal (1) the impact of high injection pressures on the mechanisms triggering seismicity, and (2) the usefulness of hydromechanical modelling for the process understanding and the assessment of seismic risk at any stage of an EGS project. |