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Glacially Induced Hydromechanical Coupling in Shale May Have Caused Underpressured Water in the Eastern Michigan Basin Despite the Possible Presence of Gas Phase Methane
Author(s) -
Plampin Michelle R.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2019gl083027
Subject(s) - methane , geology , hydraulic fracturing , oil shale , natural gas , pore water pressure , glacial period , permeability (electromagnetism) , phase (matter) , hydrostatic pressure , petrology , petroleum engineering , environmental science , geotechnical engineering , geomorphology , paleontology , mechanics , chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , membrane , physics
When glacial cycles occur above low‐permeability geologic formations, such as the shale and limestone units being considered for nuclear waste disposal in Canada, pressures may differ greatly from normal hydrostatic conditions. Although shale also often has the propensity to generate separate phase fluids like natural gas, it is largely uncertain how the processes that control this behavior might affect water pressure evolution during glacial loading cycles. Therefore, this study investigates the relationships among these system components via an example site that exhibits both a dramatic underpressure and potential evidence for gas phase methane in situ. A simple 1‐D representation of the site was constructed, and hydromechanical coupling during a glacial cycle was simulated with and without gas phase methane present. Results indicate that, while the presence of gas phase dampened the effects of the loading cycle due to its higher compressibility compared to water, it did not preclude underpressure development.