Mapping the geohazards in the Permian Basin using the spaceborne InSAR

Since the advent of new production technologies such as hydraulic fracturing, the oil industry is booming in the Permian Basin that becomes the largest oil-producing basin in the USA. The fluid injection to the underlying rock formations has been performed for oil production and wastewater disposal. Before the current boom, the Permian Basin was already developed through the applications of conventional and enhanced oil recovery (water and CO₂ flooding) methods. However, the basin encompassing large oil reservoirs is underlain by water soluble rocks (evaporites, carbonates). Hence, any mismanagements of oil wellbores or production facilities can cause the surface/subsurface deformation and hazardous outcomes. We have mapped the widespread geohazards over the Permian Basin using spaceborne InSAR method. The Sentinel-1A/B images are automatically retrieved from data archives (i.e., Alaska Satellite Facility, Copernicus Open Access Hub) and processed to generate time-series InSAR images. With InSAR images from Sentinel-1A/B as well as archived SAR acquisitions from ERS-1/2, ENVISAT, ALOS PALSAR, and TerraSAR-X, we have identified and categorized the geohazards at a fine resolution over the whole basin. Most mapped geohazards are induced by anthropogenic activities and have resulted in severe outcomes including sinkholes and damages to roads, pipelines and oil producing facilities. Therefore, we need to monitor the ongoing ground surface deformation continuously using InSAR in order to mitigate the geohazards in the Permian Basin.