Identification of Pathways for Hydrogen Gas Migration in Fault Zones with a Discontinuous, Heterogeneous Permeability Structure and the Relationship to Particle Size Distribution of Fault Materials

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that high concentrations of H2 gas are released from active fault zones. Experimental studies suggest that the H2 gas is derived from the reaction of water with free radicals formed when silicate minerals are fractured at hypocenter depths during fault activities. However, the pathways for migration of deep-seated fluids to surface are still unknown. In this study we performed quick, multipoint H2 gas measurements across a fault zone using a portable gas monitor and a hand drill. The fault zone studied includes a smectite-rich fault core dividing two clearly distinguishable damage zones: granite cataclasite and welded tuff fault breccia. The measurements show that H2 gas emissions collected in 2–3 h sampling periods from start of measurement range from 320.3 to 446.2 ppm/min in the granite cataclasite and 60.5 to 137.8 ppm/min in the welded tuff fault breccias. Negligible quantities of H2 gas could be collected from the fault core. Particle size distribution analyses of fault rocks indicate that the granite cataclasite tends to be rich in particles that are finer, i.e., less cohesive and easy to disaggregate, which leads to the inference that the granite cataclasite has high permeability. Based on the H2 gas measurements and the particle size distribution analyses, the H2 gas is considered to have migrated in permeable damage zones mostly by advection with groundwater. Multipoint H2 gas measurement will be effective in qualitative delineation of variations in permeability of regional structures.