Francesco Salvini

Inferring Sealing Properties of Faults in Carbonates by Comparing Field Examples with Stress Evolutionary Models

SUMMARY Permeability in carbonates is strongly influenced by the presence of fracture patterns. Carbonate rocks achieve fracturing both during diagenesis and tectonic processes. Spatial distribution of brittle deformation rules the secondary permeability of carbonatic rocks and therefore the accumulation and the pathway of deep fluids (ground-water, hydrocarbon). This is particularly true in the development of faults where damage zone and fault core show different hydraulic properties. In this work we studied the brittle deformation in carbonates related to fault kinematics to better understand the hydraulic properties of fault rocks. Quantitative analyses of brittle deformation from field measurements were compared to numerical models performed by FRAPtre software. This numerical tool allows to study the 4D evolution of stress/ brittle deformation in fault related rocks.