Methods and systems of determining a fault plane of a microseismic event

1. A method of using passive seismic data, the method comprising:

determining a moment tensor for each of a plurality of microseismic events using an inversion algorithm on raw data detected at a plurality of receivers at a fracking site, each of the moment tensors including two nodal planes;

grouping a subset of the plurality of microseismic events into a family of microseism is events;

determining whether the family of microseismic events include a single plane that is common across each of the nodal planes of the microseismic events for the moment tensors of the family of microseismic events;

selecting a solution fault plane for the family of microseismic events, the solution fault plane being the single plane; and

outputting information for optimizing a fracking operation in view of the solution of the fault plane.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein grouping a subset of the plurality of microseismic events into a family of microseismic events comprises:

determining a location for each of the plurality of microseismic events; and

selecting microseismic events of the plurality of events that occurred proximate each other as members of the family of microseismic events.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the family of microseismic events are within approximately one hundred meters of each other.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining another moment tensor including two nodal planes for another microseismic event;

verifying that the another microseismic event was proximate the family of microseismic events; and

determining whether one of the nodal planes of the another moment tensor is common with the solution fault plane; and

upon a determination that one of the nodal planes is common with the solution fault plane, adding the another microseismic event to the family of microseismic events.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inversion algorithm is a linear moment tensor inversion algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inversion algorithm is a non-linear moment tensor inversion algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the moment tensors of the microseismic events of the family of microseismic events include non-double couple components.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microseismic events are triggered by hydraulic fracturing.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an image depicting the solution fault plane.

10. A system comprising:

a plurality of receivers placed at a frackinq site and configured to detect microseismic events;

a network communicatively coupled to the plurality of receivers; and

a computing unit coupled to the plurality of receivers via the network and comprising a processor unit and a memory unit coupled to the processing unit, the memory unit including instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, make the processor to:

receive raw data associated with the microseismic events from the receivers via the network;

determine a moment tensor for each of the microseismic events using an inversion algorithm on the raw data, each of the moment tensors including two nodal planes;

group a subset of the microseismic events into a family of microseismic events;

determine whether the family of microseismic events include a single plane that is common across each of the nodal planes of the microseismic events for the moment tensors of the family of microseismic events;

select a solution fault plane for the family of microseismic events, the solution fault plane being the single plane; and

outputting information related to the solution fault plane to optimize a fracking operation in view thereof.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of receivers are one of geophones, accelerometers, or optical receivers.

12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising an injection system configured to inject liquid into a wellbore to induce hydraulic fracturing.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computing unit is located remotely from the plurality of receivers.

14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a monitoring well and wherein at least one of the plurality of receivers are located in the monitoring well.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the monitoring well monitors progress of hydraulic fracturing.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to:

determine a moment tensor for each of a plurality of microseismic events using an inversion algorithm on raw data detected at a plurality of receivers at a fracking site, each of the moment tensors including two nodal planes;

group a subset of the plurality of microseismic events into a family of microseism is events;

determine whether the family of microseismic events include a single plane that is common across each of the nodal planes of the microseismic events for the moment tensors of the family of microseismic events;

select a solution fault plane for the family of microseismic events, the solution fault plane being the single plane; and

outputting information for optimizing a fracking operation in view of the solution of the fault plane.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions configured to group a subset of the plurality of microseismic events into a family of microseismic events further comprises instructions configured to:

determine a location for each of the plurality of microseismic events; and

select microseismic events of the plurality of events that occurred proximate each other as members of the family of microseismic events.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the family of microseismic events are within approximately one hundred meters of each other.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of microseismic events are triggered by hydraulic fracturing.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising instructions configured to generate an image depicting the actual solution fault plane.