TY - JOUR A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Rajabi, Mojtaba A1 - Cui, Xiaofeng A1 - Fuchs, Karl A1 - Mueller, Birgit A1 - Reinecker, John A1 - Reiter, Karsten A1 - Tingay, Mark A1 - Wenzel, Friedemann A1 - Xie, Furen A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Zoback, Mary-Lou A1 - Zoback, Mark T1 - The World Stress Map database release 2016 BT - Crustal stress pattern across scales JF - Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth N2 - Knowledge of the present-day crustal in-situ stress field is a key for the understanding of geodynamic processes such as global plate tectonics and earthquakes. It is also essential for the management of geo-reservoirs and underground storage sites for energy and waste. Since 1986, the World Stress Map (WSM) project has systematically compiled the orientation of maximum horizontal stress (S-Hmax). For the 30th anniversary of the project, the WSM database has been updated significantly with 42,870 data records which is double the amount of data in comparison to the database release in 2008. The update focuses on areas with previously sparse data coverage to resolve the stress pattern on different spatial scales. In this paper, we present details of the new WSM database release 2016 and an analysis of global and regional stress pattern. With the higher data density, we can now resolve stress pattern heterogeneities from plate-wide to local scales. In particular, we show two examples of 40 degrees-60 degrees S-Hmax rotations within 70 km. These rotations can be used as proxies to better understand the relative importance of plate boundary forces that control the long wave-length pattern in comparison to regional and local controls of the crustal stress state. In the new WSM project phase IV that started in 2017, we will continue to further refine the information on the S-Hmax orientation and the stress regime. However, we will also focus on the compilation of stress magnitude data as this information is essential for the calibration of geomechanical-numerical models. This enables us to derive a 3-D continuous description of the stress tensor from point-wise and incomplete stress tensor information provided with the WSM database. Such forward models are required for safety aspects of anthropogenic activities in the underground and for a better understanding of tectonic processes such as the earthquake cycle. KW - Tectonic stress KW - Database KW - Stress tensor KW - Geomechanical modelling Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2018.07.007 SN - 0040-1951 SN - 1879-3266 VL - 744 SP - 484 EP - 498 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rajabi, Mojtaba A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Tingay, Mark A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Reynolds, Scott T1 - Contemporary tectonic stress pattern of the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand JF - Journal of geophysical research : Solid earth N2 - The present-day stress state is a key parameter in numerous geoscientific research fields including geodynamics, seismic hazard assessment, and geomechanics of georeservoirs. The Taranaki Basin of New Zealand is located on the Australian Plate and forms the western boundary of tectonic deformation due to Pacific Plate subduction along the Hikurangi margin. This paper presents the first comprehensive wellbore-derived basin-scale in situ stress analysis in New Zealand. We analyze borehole image and oriented caliper data from 129 petroleum wells in the Taranaki Basin to interpret the shape of boreholes and determine the orientation of maximum horizontal stress (S-Hmax). We combine these data (151 S-Hmax data records) with 40 stress data records derived from individual earthquake focal mechanism solutions, 6 from stress inversions of focal mechanisms, and 1 data record using the average of several focal mechanism solutions. The resulting data set has 198 data records for the Taranaki Basin and suggests a regional S-Hmax orientation of N068 degrees E (22 degrees), which is in agreement with NW-SE extension suggested by geological data. Furthermore, this ENE-WSW average S-Hmax orientation is subparallel to the subduction trench and strike of the subducting slab (N50 degrees E) beneath the central western North Island. Hence, we suggest that the slab geometry and the associated forces due to slab rollback are the key control of crustal stress in the Taranaki Basin. In addition, we find stress perturbations with depth in the vicinity of faults in some of the studied wells, which highlight the impact of local stress sources on the present-day stress rotation. KW - in situ stress KW - Taranaki Basin KW - New Zealand KW - plate tectonics KW - subduction zone Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JB013178 SN - 2169-9313 SN - 2169-9356 VL - 121 SP - 6053 EP - 6070 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reiter, Karsten A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Schmitt, Douglas A1 - Haug, Kristine A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Moeck, Inga T1 - A revised crustal stress orientation database for Canada JF - Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth N2 - The Canadian database on contemporary crustal stress has not been revised systematically in the past two decades. Here we present the results of our new compilation that contains 514 new data records for the orientation data of maximum compressive horizontal stress and 188 data records that were re-assessed. In total the Canadian stress database has now 1667 data records, which is an increase of about 45%. From these data, a new Canadian Stress map as well as one for the Province of Alberta is presented. To analyse the stress pattern, we use the quasi median on the circle as a smoothing algorithm that generates a smoothed stress map of the maximum compressive horizontal stress orientation on a regular grid. The newly introduced quasi interquartile range on the circle estimates the spreading of the data and is used as a measure for the wave-length of the stress pattern. The result of the hybrid wavelength analysis confirms that long spatial wavelength stress patterns (>= 1000 km) exist in large areas in Canada. The observed stress pattern is transmitted through the intra-plate regions. The results reveal that shorter spatial wave length variation of the maximum compressive horizontal stress orientation of less than 200 km, prevails particularly in south-eastern and western Canada. Regional stress sources such as density contrasts, active fault systems, crustal structures, etc. might have a significant impact in these regions. In contrast to these variations, the observed stress pattern in the Alberta Basin is very homogeneous and mainly controlled by plate boundary forces and body forces. The influence of curvature of the Rocky Mountains salient in southern Alberta is minimal. The present-day horizontal stress orientations determined herein have important implications for the production of hydrocarbons and geothermal energy in the Alberta Basin. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KW - Stress pattern KW - Tectonic stress KW - Canada KW - Alberta KW - Database KW - Circular statistics Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2014.08.006 SN - 0040-1951 SN - 1879-3266 VL - 636 SP - 111 EP - 124 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - GEN A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Reinecker, John A1 - Przybycin, Anna M. A1 - Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena T1 - A multi-stage 3-D stress field modelling approach exemplified in the Bavarian Molasse Basin T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - The knowledge of the contemporary in situ stress state is a key issue for safe and sustainable subsurface engineering. However, information on the orientation and magnitudes of the stress state is limited and often not available for the areas of interest. Therefore 3-D geomechanical-numerical modelling is used to estimate the in situ stress state and the distance of faults from failure for application in subsurface engineering. The main challenge in this approach is to bridge the gap in scale between the widely scattered data used for calibration of the model and the high resolution in the target area required for the application. We present a multi-stage 3-D geomechanical-numerical approach which provides a state-of-the-art model of the stress field for a reservoir-scale area from widely scattered data records. Therefore, we first use a large-scale regional model which is calibrated by available stress data and provides the full 3-D stress tensor at discrete points in the entire model volume. The modelled stress state is used subsequently for the calibration of a smaller-scale model located within the large-scale model in an area without any observed stress data records. We exemplify this approach with two-stages for the area around Munich in the German Molasse Basin. As an example of application, we estimate the scalar values for slip tendency and fracture potential from the model results as measures for the criticality of fault reactivation in the reservoir-scale model. The modelling results show that variations due to uncertainties in the input data are mainly introduced by the uncertain material properties and missing S-Hmax magnitude estimates needed for a more reliable model calibration. This leads to the conclusion that at this stage the model's reliability depends only on the amount and quality of available stress information rather than on the modelling technique itself or on local details of the model geometry. Any improvements in modelling and increases in model reliability can only be achieved using more high-quality data for calibration. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe - 556 KW - in-situ stress KW - induced seismicity KW - geothermal-reservoirs KW - geomechanical model KW - fault reactivation KW - alpine foreland KW - map project KW - km depth KW - orientation KW - system Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-409806 SN - 1866-8372 IS - 556 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Reinecker, John A1 - Przybycin, Anna M. A1 - Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena T1 - A multi-stage 3-D stress field modelling approach exemplified in the Bavarian Molasse Basin JF - Solid earth Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1365-2016 SN - 1869-9510 SN - 1869-9529 VL - 7 SP - 1365 EP - 1382 PB - Copernicus CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Zang, Arno A1 - Martinez-Garzon, Patricia A1 - Bohnhoff, Marco T1 - Estimation of the differential stress from the stress rotation angle in low permeable rock JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - Rotations of the principal stress axes are observed as a result of fluid injection into reservoirs. We use a generic, fully coupled 3-D thermo-hydro-mechanical model to investigate systematically the dependence of this stress rotation on different reservoir properties and injection scenarios. We find that permeability, injection rate, and initial differential stress are the key factors, while other reservoir properties only play a negligible role. In particular, we find that thermal effects do not significantly contribute to stress rotations. For reservoir types with usual differential stress and reservoir treatment the occurrence of significant stress rotations is limited to reservoirs with a permeability of less than approximately 10(-12)m(2). Higher permeability effectively prevents stress rotations to occur. Thus, according to these general findings, the observed principal stress axes rotation can be used as a proxy of the initial differential stress provided that rock permeability and fluid injection rate are known a priori. Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073598 SN - 0094-8276 SN - 1944-8007 VL - 44 SP - 6761 EP - 6770 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Rajabi, Mojtaba A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Hersir, Gylfi Pall A1 - Agustsson, Kristjan A1 - Arnadottir, Sigurveig A1 - Zang, Arno T1 - The stress pattern of Iceland JF - Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth N2 - Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge which is the plate boundary between the Eurasian and the North American plates. It is one of the few places on earth where an active spreading centre is located onshore but the stress pattern has not been extensively investigated so far. In this paper we present a comprehensive compilation of the orientation of maximum horizontal stress (S-Hmax). In particular we interpret borehole breakouts and drilling induced fractures from borehole image logs in 57 geothermal wells onshore Iceland. The borehole results are combined with other stress indicators including earthquake focal mechanism solutions, geological information and overcoring measurements resulting in a dataset with 495 data records for the S-Hmax orientation. The reliability of each indicator is assessed according to the quality criteria of the World Stress Map project The majority of S-Hmax orientation data records in Iceland is derived from earthquake focal mechanism solutions (35%) and geological fault slip inversions (26%). 20% of the data are borehole related stress indicators. In addition minor shares of S-Hmax orientations are compiled, amongst others, from focal mechanism inversions and the alignment of fissure eruptions. The results show that the S-Hmax orientations derived from different depths and stress indicators are consistent with each other. The resulting pattern of the present-day stress in Iceland has four distinct subsets of S-Hmax orientations. The S-Hmax orientation is parallel to the rift axes in the vicinity of the active spreading regions. It changes from NE-SW in the South to approximately N-S in central Iceland and NNW-SSE in the North. In the Westfjords which is located far away from the ridge the regional S-Hmax rotates and is parallel to the plate motion. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. KW - Iceland KW - Stress field KW - Stress pattern KW - Borehole image logs Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2016.02.008 SN - 0040-1951 SN - 1879-3266 VL - 674 SP - 101 EP - 113 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ziegler, Moritz O. A1 - Reiter, Karsten A1 - Heidbach, Oliver A1 - Zang, Arno A1 - Kwiatek, Grzegorz A1 - Stromeyer, Dietrich A1 - Dahm, Torsten A1 - Dresen, Georg A1 - Hofmann, Gerhard T1 - Mining-Induced Stress Transfer and Its Relation to a 1.9 Seismic Event in an Ultra-deep South African Gold Mine JF - Pure and applied geophysics N2 - On 27 December 2007, a 1.9 seismic event occurred within a dyke in the deep-level Mponeng Gold Mine, South Africa. From the seismological network of the mine and the one from the Japanese-German Underground Acoustic Emission Research in South Africa (JAGUARS) group, the hypocentral depth (3,509 m), focal mechanism and aftershock location were estimated. Since no mining activity took place in the days before the event, dynamic triggering due to blasting can be ruled out as the cause. To investigate the hypothesis that stress transfer, due to excavation of the gold reef, induced the event, we set up a small-scale high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) geomechanical numerical model. The model consisted of the four different rock units present in the mine: quartzite (footwall), hard lava (hanging wall), conglomerate (gold reef) and diorite (dykes). The numerical solution was computed using a finite-element method with a discretised mesh of approximately elements. The initial stress state of the model is in agreement with in situ data from a neighbouring mine, and the step-wise excavation was simulated by mass removal from the gold reef. The resulting 3D stress tensor and its changes due to mining were analysed based on the Coulomb failure stress changes on the fault plane of the event. The results show that the seismic event was induced regardless of how the Coulomb failure stress changes were calculated and of the uncertainties in the fault plane solution. We also used the model to assess the seismic hazard due to the excavation towards the dyke. The resulting curve of stress changes shows a significant increase in the last in front of the dyke, indicating that small changes in the mining progress towards the dyke have a substantial impact on the stress transfer. KW - Induced seismicity KW - static stress change KW - deep-level mining KW - tabular mining KW - Coulomb failure stress KW - 3D geomechanical numerical model Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-015-1033-x SN - 0033-4553 SN - 1420-9136 VL - 172 IS - 10 SP - 2557 EP - 2570 PB - Springer CY - Basel ER -