Drilling through the active Aigion Fault: the AIG10 well observatory

The 1000 m-deep AIG10 borehole intersects the Aigion Fault within the limestone of the Pindos nappe at 760 m. It has demonstrated that the fault is dipping 60° with respect to horizontal, an angle consistent with the strength characteristics of the fault material as determined in the laboratory. It does not seem to be listric, as suggested by the location of superficial microseismic events. The fault is about 7 m thick, with a 50 cm core of clay derived from smeared radiolarite formation. The fault offsets the basement rock by 150±20 m and constitutes a hydraulic barrier that sustains a 0.5 MPa differential pressure. Below the fault, a strongly karstified limestone has been encountered down to 1000 m. It is the site of a 0.9 MPa overpressure and exhibits no temperature gradient. Water geochemistry demonstrates the continental origin of this significant flow, which obliterates the regional heat flux. The present monitoring of downhole pressure yields data on tidal variations with a resolution of 1/500 as well as pressure variations induced by teleseisms. Given preliminary results from 14C dating, the age of the fault is about 50 kyr and the mean slip rate equal about 3.5 mm yr−1. To cite this article: F.H. Cornet et al., C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).