Impact of hydrocarbon production on the seismic activity of the geological environment

Abstract

The intensive development of oil and gas fields increases anthropogenic impacts on the geological environment, making induced seismicity an important issue in modern seismology. Changes in reservoir pressure, fluid injection, produced water disposal, and hydraulic fracturing can alter the stress-strain state of rocks and reactivate pre-existing tectonic faults. This study aims to evaluate the impact of hydrocarbon production processes on seismic activity and identify the principal factors contributing to induced seismicity. The research is based on a comparative analysis of documented cases from different hydrocarbon-producing regions, with particular attention to Oklahoma (USA), Groningen (the Netherlands), and other areas of intensive oil and gas production. The results demonstrate that induced seismicity is controlled by a combination of anthropogenic and geological factors, including fluid injection volume and regime, reservoir pressure depletion, extraction intensity, and the presence of active or critically stressed faults. The analysis confirms that the probability of induced seismicity increases when intensive industrial activities coincide with favorable geological and tectonic conditions for fault reactivation. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive assessment of anthropogenic impacts and continuous seismological and geodynamic monitoring to detect hazardous processes and reduce induced seismicity risks.