Potential Link Between 2020 Mentone, West Texas M5 Earthquake and Nearby Wastewater Injection: Implications for Aquifer Mechanical Properties

The M5 Mentone earthquake that occurred on March 26, 2020, was the largest event recorded over last 2 decades in West Texas within Delaware Basin, a U.S. major petroleum-producing area. Also, numerous hydrofracturing and wastewater disposal wells are spread across this region. Within 30 km distance to mainshock, eight class-II injection for industrial target deep porous Ellenburger aquifer at an average rate of 1.36 × 106 barrel (BBL) per month during 2012–2020. Poroelastic models fluid diffusion show these nearby injectors collectively imparted up 80.5 kPa Coulomb stress mainshock location, capable triggering event. Assuming occurs when pore-pressure increase is maximum, time delay between peak occurrence corresponds with optimal permeability 6.76 10-14 m2 layer, agreement independent estimates.