Apparent Joint Swarms Formed by the Crack‐Jump Process

ABSTRACT Joint swarms can be important components of fractured reservoirs. They are often explained as damage around faults or related to mechanical differences between layers, although this does not explain the close spacing of the joints. Joint swarms around Bergen (Norway) are described, which ar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inTerra nova (Oxford, England)
Main Authors Peacock, D. C. P., Leiss, B., Anderson, M. W.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 28.08.2024
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Summary:ABSTRACT Joint swarms can be important components of fractured reservoirs. They are often explained as damage around faults or related to mechanical differences between layers, although this does not explain the close spacing of the joints. Joint swarms around Bergen (Norway) are described, which are not related to exposed faults and are not influenced by layering or foliation in the Lower Palaeozoic gneisses. We suggest an evolution whereby: (1) a zone of microcracks develops; (2) one microcrack propagates and becomes connected to a source of mineralising fluid; (3) the fracture becomes a microvein, with a higher tensile strength than the microcracked host rock; (4) another microcrack propagates and the cycle is repeated, producing a zone of microveins; (5) the veins are partly weathered out, producing an apparent joint swarm, or the microveins crack at or near the ground‐surface. Joint swarms in exposed analogues may therefore not occur at reservoir depths.
ISSN:0954-4879
1365-3121
DOI:10.1111/ter.12747