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Abstract In this paper we present results from a series of laboratory hydraulic fracture experiments designed to investigate various components of the energy budget. The experiments involved a cylindrical sample of Westerly granite being deformed under various triaxial stress states and fractured with distilled water, which was injected at a range of constant rates. Acoustic emission sensors were absolutely calibrated, and the radiated seismic energy was estimated. The seismic energy was found to range from 7.02E−8% to 1.24E−4% of the injection energy which is consistent with a range of values for induced seismicity from field‐scale hydraulic fracture operations. The deformation energy (crack opening) of the sample during hydraulic fracture propagation was measured using displacement sensors and ranged from 18% to 94% of the injection energy. Our results support the conclusion that aseismic deformation is a significant term in the hydraulic fracture energy budget.
Goodfellow et al. (Thu,) studied this question.