Double-difference seismic tomography is performed on a carbon sequestration operation in the Aneth Oil Field in southeast Utah as part of a Department of Energy initiative on monitoring, verification, and accounting of sequestered CO2. A total of 1,211 seismic events were recorded from a borehole array of 22 geophones. Aneth Unit data were divided into four time periods for time-lapse analysis. A low velocity zone spanning the lateral extents of the observable region, likely representing a CO2 plume, is detected when considering voxels containing the highest ray path coverage. A series of synthetic tomography tests simulating different CO2 plume sizes and locations was performed to assist in characterizing velocity changes associated with Aneth Unit data. Inferences about the existence of a CO2 plume should be made by comparing actual data to synthetic data resulting from simulations performed under similar conditions. Considering synthetic simulation similarities and a derivative weight sum analysis, a CO2 plume can be imaged within the Desert Creek reservoir, but the resolution of the CO2 plume is too low for proper monitoring, verification, and accounting of injected CO2. Recommendations, for improving CO2 plume resolution through double difference seismic tomography, are made to increase the ray path distribution throughout the Aneth Unit by varying geophone locations. / Master of Science

Analysis of synthetic data was performed to determine the most cost-effective tomographic monitoring system for a geologic carbon sequestration injection site. Artificial velocity models were created that accounted for the expected velocity decrease due to the existence of a CO₂ plume after underground injection into a depleted petroleum reservoir. Seismic events were created to represent induced seismicity from injection, and five different geophone arrays were created to monitor this artificial seismicity. Double-difference tomographic inversion was performed on 125 synthetic data sets: five stages of CO₂ plume growth, five seismic event regions, and five geophone arrays. Each resulting velocity model from tomoDD—the double-difference tomography program used for inversion—was compared quantitatively to its respective synthetic velocity model to determine an accuracy value. The quantitative results were examined in an attempt to determine a relationship between cost and accuracy in monitoring, verification, and accounting applications using double-difference tomography. While all scenarios resulted in little error, no such relationship could be found. The lack of a relationship between cost and error is most likely due to error inherent to the travel time calculation algorithm used. / Master of Science

Seismic tomography is a promising tool to help understand and evaluate the stability of a rock mass in mining excavations. Lab measurements give evidence that velocities of seismic wave propagations increase in high stress areas of rock samples. It is well known that closing effects of cracks under compressive pressures tend to increase the effective elastic moduli of rocks. Tomography can map stress transfer and redistribution and further forecast rock burst potential and other seismic hazards, which are influenced by mining. Recorded by seismic networks in multiple underground mines, arrival time of seismic waves and locations of seismic events are used as sources of tomographic imaging survey. An initial velocity model is established according to properties of a rock mass, then velocity structure is reconstructed by velocity inversion to reflect the anomalies of the rock mass. Mining-induced seismicity and double-difference tomographic images of rock mass in mining areas are coupled to show how stress changes with microseismic activities. Especially, comparisons between velocity structures of different periods (before and after rock burst) are performed to analyze effects of rock burst on stress distribution. Tomographic results show that high velocity anomalies form in the vicinity of rock burst before the occurrence, and velocity subsequently experiences a significant drop after the occurrence of rock burst. In addition, regression analysis of travel time and distance indicates that the average velocity of all the monitored region appears to increase before rock burst and reduce after them. A reasonable explanation is that rock bursts tend to be triggered in highly stressed rock masses. After the energy release of rock bursts, stress relief is expected to exhibit within rock mass. Average velocity significantly decreases because of lower stresses and as a result of fractures in the rock mass that are generated by shaking-induced damage from nearby rock burst zones. Mining-induced microseismic rate is positively correlated with stress level. The fact that highly concentrated seismicity is more likely to be located in margins between high-velocity and low-velocity regions manifests that high seismic rates appear to be along with high stress in rock masses. Statistical analyses were performed on the aftershock sequence in order to generate an aftershock decay model to detect potential hazards and evaluate stability of aftershock activities. / Ph. D.

On observe depuis 2005 une sismicité intense à 10 km d'Oulan Bator ce qui a permis d'identifier une faille active, Emeelt, sur le terrain. Après le calcule d'un modèle de vitesse 3D, j'ai appliqué la tomographie double différence pour obtenir une localisation précise des séismes. Ils marquent au moins trois branches parallèles orientées N147° comme la faille vue en surface. L'activité sur la faille principale d'Emeelt (MEF) s’étend sur 15 km, les branches Ouest et Est, moins actives, sur 10 km. La profondeur de l'activité s'étend entre 4 et 15 km. L'activité sismique semble concentrée à l'intersection avec des failles Mésozoïques et les contrastes Vs/Vs suggèrent la présence de fluides. Les 10 essaims identifiés montrent une activité croissante et une migration spatiale avec le temps. Le calcul de 2 scénarios possibles, un M ~ 6.4 et un M ~ 7, indique un important impact sur la ville d'Oulan Bator, avec une intensité minimum de VIII et localement IX pour M=6.4 et X pour M=7. / We observe since 2005 a high seismic activity at 10 km from Ulaanbaatar that allowed us to identify a new active fault, Emeelt, in the field. After computing a 3D velocity model, I applied Double-Difference tomography to obtain a precise localization of earthquakes. They trace at least three parallel branches oriented N147° like the fault seen at surface. The seismic activity on the Main Emeelt Fault (MEF) is along at least 15 km, on the West and East branches, less active, along 10 km. The depth of the seismicity extends between 4 and 15 km. The activity seems concentrated at the intersection with Mesozoic faults and Vp/Vs contrast suggests the presence of fluids. The 10 swarms identified show an increasing activity and a spatial migration with time. The calculation of 2 possible scenarios, one M ~ 6.4 and one M ~ 7, shows an important impact on Ulaanbaatar, with a minimum intensity of VIII and IX for M=6.4 and X for M=7.