Constraining induced seismicity hazard on the Neck of the Desert fault for the proposed Iron Mountain, Utah carbon sequestration project

Summary

A proposed carbon sequestration project in Iron Mountain, Utah, aims to store CO2 from direct reduced iron production in the Navajo Sandstone at approximately 6300 feet depth. This paper assesses the induced seismicity hazard posed by the LiDAR-identified Neck of the Desert fault, whose dip and depth of penetration are currently uncertain. A probabilistic Mohr-Coulomb theory approach was used, considering various fault dip scenarios (0 to 90 degrees). Historical seismic data from October 1998 to October 2023 shows 831 events in the region, with the largest being magnitude 4.1. The analysis indicates that the hazard of fault failure is highly dependent on the dip, with higher dips presenting greater risk. Further characterization, including seismic surveys, is required to constrain the fault's orientation and depth of penetration to fully understand its impact on both seismicity and potential CO2 leakage.

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