Utah FORGE 2439: A Multi-Component Approach to Characterizing In-Situ Stress

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Core-based in-situ stress estimation, Triaxial Ultrasonic Velocity (labTUV) data, and Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) data for Utah FORGE well 16A(78)-32 using triaxial ultrasonic velocity and deformation rate analysis. Report documenting a multi-component approach to characterizing in-situ stress at the U.S. DOE FORGE EGS site: laboratory, modeling and field measurement.

Core-based methods for in-situ stress estimation were applied using samples from 5 intervals within the Utah FORGE 16A(78)-32 well. At three of these locations, Triaxial Ultrasonic Velocity (labTUV) tests were performed, resulting in experimentally-determined relationships between wave velocities and stresses. Non-monotonic increase in the velocity-stress relationships are inferred provide evidence of stress history and are therefore used to estimate in-situ stress magnitudes. Additionally, Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) tests were run on core plugs from various orientations at each of the 5 sampling locations. These, too, provide evidence of stress history based on stress-strain behavior. A novel Weight of Evidence (WoE) method was developed as a means of synthesizing in-situ stress evidence from these two types of tests. Results indicate the minimum horizontal stress gradient ranges from 0.58 psi/ft to 0.69 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 values between 0.66 psi/ft and 0.69 psi/ft. The vertical stress gradient ranges from 1.05 psi/ft to 1.12 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 zones given results between 1.09 psi/ft and 1.12 psi/ft. The maximum horizontal stress gradient ranges from 0.98 psi/ft to 1.34 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 zones falling between 0.98 psi/ft and 1.24 psi/ft. The stress regime thus appears to be on the edge between normal faulting and strike-slip faulting, potentially flipping back and forth between the two regimes due to variability of rock properties, structures such as faults, and/or thermal anomalies.

Citation Formats

TY - DATA AB - Core-based in-situ stress estimation, Triaxial Ultrasonic Velocity (labTUV) data, and Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) data for Utah FORGE well 16A(78)-32 using triaxial ultrasonic velocity and deformation rate analysis. Report documenting a multi-component approach to characterizing in-situ stress at the U.S. DOE FORGE EGS site: laboratory, modeling and field measurement. Core-based methods for in-situ stress estimation were applied using samples from 5 intervals within the Utah FORGE 16A(78)-32 well. At three of these locations, Triaxial Ultrasonic Velocity (labTUV) tests were performed, resulting in experimentally-determined relationships between wave velocities and stresses. Non-monotonic increase in the velocity-stress relationships are inferred provide evidence of stress history and are therefore used to estimate in-situ stress magnitudes. Additionally, Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) tests were run on core plugs from various orientations at each of the 5 sampling locations. These, too, provide evidence of stress history based on stress-strain behavior. A novel Weight of Evidence (WoE) method was developed as a means of synthesizing in-situ stress evidence from these two types of tests. Results indicate the minimum horizontal stress gradient ranges from 0.58 psi/ft to 0.69 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 values between 0.66 psi/ft and 0.69 psi/ft. The vertical stress gradient ranges from 1.05 psi/ft to 1.12 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 zones given results between 1.09 psi/ft and 1.12 psi/ft. The maximum horizontal stress gradient ranges from 0.98 psi/ft to 1.34 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 zones falling between 0.98 psi/ft and 1.24 psi/ft. The stress regime thus appears to be on the edge between normal faulting and strike-slip faulting, potentially flipping back and forth between the two regimes due to variability of rock properties, structures such as faults, and/or thermal anomalies. AU - Bunger, Andrew A2 - Higgins, Joshua A3 - Huang, Yao A4 - Kelley, Mark DB - Geothermal Data Repository DP - Open EI | National Renewable Energy Laboratory DO - 10.15121/1923003 KW - geothermal KW - energy KW - Utah FORGE KW - In-Situ Stress KW - Laboratory KW - Modeling KW - Field Measurement KW - TUV KW - Triaxial Ultrasonic Velocity KW - Deformation Rate Analysis KW - DRA KW - Weight of Evidence KW - WoE KW - EGS KW - Stress Test KW - Characterization KW - Well Data KW - geophysics KW - FORGE KW - 16A78-32 LA - English DA - 2022/12/13 PY - 2022 PB - Battelle Memorial Institute T1 - Utah FORGE 2439: A Multi-Component Approach to Characterizing In-Situ Stress UR - https://doi.org/10.15121/1923003 ER -
Export Citation to RIS
Bunger, Andrew, et al. Utah FORGE 2439: A Multi-Component Approach to Characterizing In-Situ Stress. Battelle Memorial Institute, 13 December, 2022, Geothermal Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.15121/1923003.
Bunger, A., Higgins, J., Huang, Y., & Kelley, M. (2022). Utah FORGE 2439: A Multi-Component Approach to Characterizing In-Situ Stress. [Data set]. Geothermal Data Repository. Battelle Memorial Institute. https://doi.org/10.15121/1923003
Bunger, Andrew, Joshua Higgins, Yao Huang, and Mark Kelley. Utah FORGE 2439: A Multi-Component Approach to Characterizing In-Situ Stress. Battelle Memorial Institute, December, 13, 2022. Distributed by Geothermal Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.15121/1923003
@misc{GDR_Dataset_1438, title = {Utah FORGE 2439: A Multi-Component Approach to Characterizing In-Situ Stress}, author = {Bunger, Andrew and Higgins, Joshua and Huang, Yao and Kelley, Mark}, abstractNote = {Core-based in-situ stress estimation, Triaxial Ultrasonic Velocity (labTUV) data, and Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) data for Utah FORGE well 16A(78)-32 using triaxial ultrasonic velocity and deformation rate analysis. Report documenting a multi-component approach to characterizing in-situ stress at the U.S. DOE FORGE EGS site: laboratory, modeling and field measurement.

Core-based methods for in-situ stress estimation were applied using samples from 5 intervals within the Utah FORGE 16A(78)-32 well. At three of these locations, Triaxial Ultrasonic Velocity (labTUV) tests were performed, resulting in experimentally-determined relationships between wave velocities and stresses. Non-monotonic increase in the velocity-stress relationships are inferred provide evidence of stress history and are therefore used to estimate in-situ stress magnitudes. Additionally, Deformation Rate Analysis (DRA) tests were run on core plugs from various orientations at each of the 5 sampling locations. These, too, provide evidence of stress history based on stress-strain behavior. A novel Weight of Evidence (WoE) method was developed as a means of synthesizing in-situ stress evidence from these two types of tests. Results indicate the minimum horizontal stress gradient ranges from 0.58 psi/ft to 0.69 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 values between 0.66 psi/ft and 0.69 psi/ft. The vertical stress gradient ranges from 1.05 psi/ft to 1.12 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 zones given results between 1.09 psi/ft and 1.12 psi/ft. The maximum horizontal stress gradient ranges from 0.98 psi/ft to 1.34 psi/ft, with 4 of the 5 zones falling between 0.98 psi/ft and 1.24 psi/ft. The stress regime thus appears to be on the edge between normal faulting and strike-slip faulting, potentially flipping back and forth between the two regimes due to variability of rock properties, structures such as faults, and/or thermal anomalies.}, url = {https://gdr.openei.org/submissions/1438}, year = {2022}, howpublished = {Geothermal Data Repository, Battelle Memorial Institute, https://doi.org/10.15121/1923003}, note = {Accessed: 2025-04-23}, doi = {10.15121/1923003} }
https://dx.doi.org/10.15121/1923003

Details

Data from Dec 13, 2022

Last updated Feb 18, 2025

Submitted Dec 14, 2022

Organization

Battelle Memorial Institute

Contact

Mark Kelley

614.424.3704

Authors

Andrew Bunger

University of Pittsburgh

Joshua Higgins

University of Pittsburgh now with Deloitte

Yao Huang

University of Pittsburgh now with Los Alamos National Laboratory

Mark Kelley

Battelle Memorial Institute

DOE Project Details

Project Name Utah FORGE

Project Lead Lauren Boyd

Project Number EE0007080

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