How likely is high-amplitude earthquake shaking for UK oil and gas installations?

This project seeks to improve our understanding of the physical processes that lead to extreme earthquake ground motions from induced seismicity related to oil and gas extraction. Generally induced seismicity from such human activities is comprised of very-low-magnitude earthquakes and consequently the motions at the surface that are caused by these events are weak. Occasionally, however, larger events are triggered (e.g. Ekofisk 2001, Mw 4.3). Why this is so is still poorly understood. Investigating using geological and seismological analysis the reasons for large (Mw>3) induced events would be the first theme covered by this project. Given a large event, does not necessarily lead to significant shaking at the surface, however, because it may have a low stress drop, for example. Therefore, the second theme covered in this project would be to assess the likelihood of a particularly energetic large event being trigger that could lead to shaking beyond the levels considered in the design of oil and gas facilities. This second theme will involve analysis of recorded seismograms to assess the characteristics of the earthquake source in seismicity related to oil and gas activities. Subsequently the potential surface shaking from such events would be assessed. Finally, the project will compare this potential shaking with the seismic design basis of UK oil and gas infrastructure. This is a multi-disciplinary project that would train the researcher in many topics of geology and geophysics. It would also place this experience and the research within a clear real-world context of environmental safety and regulation. The data required for this project has not yet been requested. These data will be combination of freely-accessible public information but also data from industry, which will require agreements to be signed.