Effects of Chemical Alteration on Frictional Properties in a Deep, Granitic, Geothermal System in Cornwall: Direct Shear Experiments at Near In Situ Conditions

The geochemical alteration of host rocks might affect the productivity and the potential for induced seismicity of geothermal systems. In addition to natural alteration, following production and heat extraction, re-injected fluids at lower temperatures and different pressures may be in chemical disequilibrium with the rock, impacting mineral solubility and dissolution/precipitation processes. In this study, we investigate the effect of geochemical alteration on the frictional behavior of granites, and their seismogenic potential, by conducting direct shear experiments using samples with varying degrees of alteration. The samples originate from the Carnmenellis granite in Cornwall, SW England, and represent the formation used in the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power Project for heat extraction. Experiments were conducted on granite powders (referred to as gouges) at room temperature and 180°C, at simulated in situ confining and pore pressures of 130 and 50 MPa, respectively (∼5 km depth). With increasing degree of alteration, the frictional strength of the gouges decreases while frictional stability increases. At high temperature, frictional stability is reduced for all samples while maintaining the trend with alteration stage. Microstructural investigation of the sheared gouges shows alteration delocalizes shear by reducing grain size and increasing clay fraction, which promotes the formation of pervasive shear fabrics. Our work suggests that, within the range of tested pressures, more alteration of granite initially causes more stable shearing in a fault. This behavior with alteration is sustained at high temperatures, but the overall frictional stability is reduced which increases the potential for induced seismicity at higher temperatures.