Fracturing and Porosity Channeling in Fluid Overpressure Zones in the Shallow Earth’s Crust

Figure 5

Porosity evolution of scenarios 1 and 2. (a) Scenario 1 shows a pressure wave that develops horizontally and moves gradually downwards. (b) Scenario 2 shows the development of a vertically aligned porosity wave with high porosity in the center surrounded by two compacted zones. In the high-porosity center, mobile porosity channels open and close to drain the system vertically. Movement of the solid and the porosity for the two scenarios is shown in two sketches.

(a)

(b)