Evidence for fluid pressurization of fault zones and persistent sensitivity to injection rate beneath the Raton Basin
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Abstract
Subsurface wastewater injection has increased the seismicity rate within the Raton Basin over more than two decades, with the basin-wide injection rate peaked between 2009-2015. To understand the evolution of injection-induced earthquakes, we systematically analyzed 2016-2024 broadband recordings with a machine-learning-based phase picker and constructed a catalog with 95,993 earthquakes (-1≤ML≤4.3). We then inverted for full centroid moment tensors (CMT) for 90 ML ≥ 2 events, with a special interest in constraining the non-double-couple components via probabilistic metrics. Both relocations and CMT solutions support basement-rooted normal faults, including graben and half-graben structures. Furthermore, we observe the non-double-couple components that imply elevated pore pressure in the fault zones. An earthquake cluster emerged in the north-central basin in 2023, preceded by ~1-yr of increased injection volume from wells within 15km. Despite a basin-wide decrease in the injection volume, we highlights the persistence of seismicity that remains to sensitive to injection rates within the Raton Basin.
Suggested Citation
Jamalreyhani, M., Wang, R., Schmandt, B., Peña Castro, A., Glasgow, M.E., 2025, Evidence for fluid pressurization of fault zones and persistent sensitivity to injection rate beneath the Raton Basin: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 52, no. 13, e2025GL114675, 11 p., https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL114675.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Evidence for fluid pressurization of fault zones and persistent sensitivity to injection rate beneath the Raton Basin |
| Series title | Geophysical Research Letters |
| DOI | 10.1029/2025GL114675 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 13 |
| Publication Date | July 07, 2025 |
| Year Published | 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Geophysical Union |
| Contributing office(s) | Earthquake Science Center |
| Description | e2025GL114675, 11 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado, New Mexico |
| Other Geospatial | Raton Basin |