KEM-11a Review for improving the KNMI induced earthquake catalogue from the Groningen gas field

The objective of this research question is to re-evaluate and partially reprocess seismological data recorded in the area of the Groningen gas field, improving the existing induced earthquake eventscatalogue at the seismology goup of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI).

Insight and improvements should target for upgrading the consistency, the completeness, the location accuracy and precision and the source parameter estimation. Improvements identified are recommended to be implemented by KNMI and partners.

RESEARCH REQUEST FULL TEXT

The project resulted in two reports:

• WP1 report: This report is an evaluation of the published reports, data, and procedures that are involved in generating the induced seismicity catalogue. The purpose is to identify areas that can be improved, either by revisiting existing data, or modifying current procedures for future improvements. The results include an independent assessment, recommendations and comparisons to state-of-the-art methodologies. In the following paragraphs we summarise our main findings.Event catalogue seismological parameters:

• WP2 report: The objective of the report is to investigate the significance of different seismological parameters related to the induced seismicity catalogue and how they relate to understanding the causes of the seismicity as well as the hazard and risk assessment for the Groningen field, and what further work is needed to improve how these parameters are determined.

Based on these new insights, recommendations have been formulated to improve current induced seismicity catalogue by reprocessing data, enhacing processing method and performing seismological parameter new analysis.

The project was evaluated by the KEM expert panel, early 2019.
 

RESEARCH PROJECT FIRST EVALUATION

The KEM scientific expert panel supports conclusions of the project and most of the recommendations to start up a phase 2 project and to extend current project. The extended project KEM-11b) - started in april 2019 - is jointly being carried out by Norsar and KNMI.

The research results on the Groningen seismological network (this project KEM-11b), follow up by KNMI and on the seismological catalogue (earlier project KEM-11a) have been presented and discussed in a KEM-DeepNL colloquium May 31, 2022. The presentations can be viewed using these links: KEM-11a presentation, KNMI-11 presentation and KEM-11b presentation.