I’ve drawn the link between natural gas hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) and earthquakes numerous times, long before the Oklahoma earthquakes or Blackpool (Lancashire) earthquakes in England. I started doing so early in 2011 when the Arkansas earthquakes were all the news and I got the hint that it might be related to fracking.
The case has only gotten more clear since then. As reported last week, even a fracking company in England has now stated that fracking is the “probable” cause of recent earthquakes there.
Note: it is actually the injection disposal wells at fracking sites that is the culprit. Different from the natural gas production wells, this is where the waste fracking fluid that returns after fracking is complete gets injected back into the earth.
In September, we reported that the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission banned fracking disposal wells for unconventional gas drilling wastes due to earthquakes. This was months after fracking in the area was put on hold (a temporary moratorium was put in place) as an investigation into the matter took place. Some interesting results from that:
“[A]fter two of the four [disposal wells] stopped operating in March, there was a sharp decline in the number of earthquakes. In the 18 days before the shutdown, there were 85 quakes with a magnitude 2.5 or greater, but there were only 20 in the 18 days following the shutdown, according to the state Geological Survey.”
How did they get the idea to study the link? Well, in 2010, after fracking started in the state, the number of earthquakes was over 600 — about as many as in Arkansas in the last 100 years! Connection?
Also, it should be noted that the U.S. Army and U.S. Geological Society conclusively linked fracking to earthquakes long ago.
Oklahoma Earthquakes & Fracking
In Oklahoma, the situation is quite similar (though, of course, the investigation has not been completed yet). The largest earthquake that hit Oklahoma this weekend, a 5.6-magnitude tremor near Sparks, was the largest on record in the state. Dozens of earthquakes hit Oklahoma on the weekend.
Oklahoma has seen the same rise in earthquake activity that Arkansas saw. Going from about 50 earthquakes a year up until 2009, the state got 1,047 last year! I’m sorry, but did no one there or studying the matter notice? Or did they just not make the connection to fracking? Or did they just have no influence over the matter, so no one heard them?
Of course, the trend has continued in 2011, and now almost the whole country knows that Oklahoma all of a sudden gets strong earthquakes. (The 5.6-magnitude quake this week was felt as far away as Illinois and Wisconsin.
Fracking & Earthquakes
OK, now, how can fracking be related to earthquakes? It’s actually the disposal wells that seem to cause the problem. Fracking involves high-pressure injection or pumping of fluids into the ground,.. in order to open up cracks in the rock for natural gas to escape and be capture.
Hmm, open up cracks in the rock….
While it seems fracking doesn’t cause earthquakes immediately, it lowers the barriers to earthquakes happening, loosens up the rocks enough that it is more likely to happen. In Arkansas, they noticed that it was especially the wastewater disposal wells that seemed to be setting the stage for earthquakes. As quoted above, when these wastewater disposal wells were shut down — high-pressure injection of wastewater was stopped — the number of earthquakes diminshed back down to a more normal level soon after.
Of course, many (especially corporate interests in the fracking industry) still claim there is no conclusive link between fracking and earthquakes, and making a clear, direct link to any specific quake is rather hard (if not impossible). But I think we’ve come far enough to know by now that fracking causes (or helps to cause earthquakes). And not just small ones (another common claim in the natural gas industry). And, of course, less not forget about the flammable water….
Sources: Planetsave, Guardian, Earth & Industry, Arstechnica, and numerous articles I’ve read and written on the matter this year.
Oklahoma recent earthquakes by flickr user kelleymcd via Red, Green, and Blue; Oh Frack image via Shutterstock/Gas2
Want to help stop fracking in Oklahoma? Visit the linked Facebook page on the matter.
Still here? OK, bonus for you then! Check out this fun fracking infographic:
This may drive ambitious oil barons wild- gold deposits from earthquakes- fortunately they cannot collect.
http://www.livescience.com/27953-earthquakes-make-gold.html
The deep transfer of near surface liquids occurs over time, influencing subsequent earthquakes,
http://www.livescience.com/46854-rainwater-found-deep-crust.html
Continuing local earthquake swarms are attributed by profesionals ‘probably’ as fracking and related causes,
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/8-small-earthquakes-shake-oklahoma-as-fracking-critics-grumble/
An image of one of many Oklahoma earthquakes today (and the most recent), seen in green, as it relates to the worldwide total of the past few hours. July 30, 2014. All magnitudes, all earthquakes for a few hours time. We are appearing to integrate Oklahoma to the pattern of stress which is continental in scale and cause, yet it seems to be activated by the recent local fracking and disposal wells. This line occurs fairly regularly in the past few years, during a one day period when active.
http://imageshack.com/a/img540/2074/sOGjxK.jpg
A four day listing of Oklahoma quakes shows we are the most prolific site in the hemisphere most weeks during the year. small but persistent events never seen until fracking was expanded.
When the U.S. was hit by a two week heavy rain series last year across most of the northern states, the subsequent runoff showed an unusual earthquake pattern. Only four quakes over 1.5 were displayed in the entire U.S. for the day- a low occurance rate, but each was within a few tens of miles of rivers where the river path was changed by local geology to a greater than 90 degree course diversion. By removing all mapping but the ‘rivers’ selection I had found a distinct cause of 4.5 and lessor earthquakes where surface force and volume was directly involved with the only quakes recorded. No injection waste sites and no wells studied, as the software did not permit, but a clear cause and efect indicated, with miles of separation of events. Stress, or transport, or, simply a ‘gravity anomoly’ was causing small local quakes.
Try the program ‘ Eq3D ‘, by Wolton.net (free), to follow this and fracking influences.
Where satellite studies show high gravity ‘potential’ transients, there are 95-99 percent of all the 5.0 and greater earthquakes. Staging is by locality, not timing of the fluctuations, for 5.0 and larger quakes. Tectonics shows the zones of the ‘transients’.
Earthquakes below 5.0 do not follow the satellite measured gravity transients as often, and most are shallow.
For lessor quakes finding the causes is much more difficult, as we cannot map the underground aquifer transport and stresses any better than the new gravity variance satellites can find the specific incidence causes. More technology, more detail, will do that eventually.
Heavy near surface water volume change(rain runoff), causes local lessor shallow earthquakes.
It follows that fracking can cause lessor local quakes, similarly, involving liquids.
A link for some basic Oklahoma earthquake figures, one of many sources. 830 earthquakes during the past year, up from the averages of a few dozen or less during the previous years for decades of watching. The activity shows a local pattern. Finding the reason for the pattern is important. Today while typing this I was jolted in Oklahoma City by a single 4.3 wave, originating in Guthrie, OK. The quake shook my computer and caused noise. Five quakes today in Guthrie alone, with many others above 4.0 in Oklahoma this year. This is an historical pattern emerging, in an ordered formation.
Our new state government administration is yet claiming there is no connection to recent increased fracking, and apparently also claiming that water/chemical/gas transport is not also involved, for the same reasoning.
http://earthquaketrack.com/p/united-states/oklahoma/recent
Zachary, we are having abnormal earthquakes in Wellington, New Zealand and we have fracking in New Plymouth and Dannevirke in the North Island. I have never known anything like this last month in 52 years. Remember Christchurch and the earthquakes there –they never thought Christchurch was an earthquake prone area, so ok there was an undiscovered fault line but what set off the spree of earthquakes? I have to investigate this a bit more as I see you say not all fracking causes earthquakes , only those near fault lines–we have a few fault lines in NZ. There may be other places in NZ where fracking is going on that I am unaware of. Would be interested if you have an opinion.
Hello, Chloe. Yes, numerous independent studies have shown that fracking increases the frequency and strength of earthquakes in areas with fault lines. The degree of effect varies. And, of course, linking any one such event to something is basically statistically impossible.
How much fracking to you have going on there?
(Btw, I should note that it is the wastewater injection wells that are linked to the increased earthquake activity.)
Zachary, we are having abnormal earthquakes in Wellington, New Zealand and we have fracking in New Plymouth and Dannevirke in the North Island. I have never known anything like this last month in 52 years. Remember Christchurch and the earthquakes there –they never thought Christchurch was an earthquake prone area, so ok there was an undiscovered fault line but what set off the spree of earthquakes? I have to investigate this a bit more as I see you say not all fracking causes earthquakes , only those near fault lines–we have a few fault lines in NZ. There may be other places in NZ where fracking is going on that I am unaware of. Would be interested if you have an opinion.
Hello, Chloe. Yes, numerous independent studies have shown that fracking increases the frequency and strength of earthquakes in areas with fault lines. The degree of effect varies. And, of course, linking any one such event to something is basically statistically impossible.
How much fracking to you have going on there?
(Btw, I should note that it is the wastewater injection wells that are linked to the increased earthquake activity.)
Lived here over 50 yrs and we`ve had those same small earthquakes for forever. The 5.6 was interesting but I assume that eventually you`ll get one bigger than the last biggest one recorded. Funny thing is they have always been in the same general area(about a 50 mile radius)so I hardly think fracking has much to do with it as they are fracking all over the state.
The fracking (well, the injection of the wastewater) triggers more and bigger ones. Studies in a number of places have now found this. But, yes, there needs to be some underlying tectonics that make it possible.
Lived here over 50 yrs and we`ve had those same small earthquakes for forever. The 5.6 was interesting but I assume that eventually you`ll get one bigger than the last biggest one recorded. Funny thing is they have always been in the same general area(about a 50 mile radius)so I hardly think fracking has much to do with it as they are fracking all over the state.
The fracking (well, the injection of the wastewater) triggers more and bigger ones. Studies in a number of places have now found this. But, yes, there needs to be some underlying tectonics that make it possible.
Have you seen this study by the oil and gas tech giant Schlumberger? It is a study on seismicity triggered by hydrocarbon extraction. Even they know that injections can cause earthquakes.
http://www.slb.com/resources/publications/industry_articles/oilfield_review/2000/or2000sum01_seismicity.aspx
http://blog.aapg.org/learn/?p=793
It’s a thrust fault under latent, stored compressive stress. There’s one huge slab of crust, many square miles in size and thousands of feet thick, that was pushed up over the neighboring rock in a mountain-building event. That big block is settling… adjusting… letting off pent-up stress. It has for millions of years and will continue to do so until it’s ground away to dust. It will produce small and shallow earthquakes. Shallow is the key. Shallow quakes don’t create the great s-wave movements that really bring buildings down.
In response to some earlier posters’ questions: the gas deposits are there because of the faults. Thrust faults form huge folds that can trap oil and gas. The fault fractures surfaces themselves help form and seal some of the hydrocarbon traps. There will also be a lot of small-scale fractures out in front of the thrust fault front that enhance O&G production… they act as conduits. These types of traps have been targeted since the birth of the industry and have been hydraulically fractured in Oklahoma since the 40s.
There is no way that hydraulic fracturing by the oil and gas industry causes earthquakes. Not possible. Period. This is all junk science. I can tell that 99% of you do not know what you are talking about.
IF FRACKING IS THE CULPRIT, WHAT ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF SITES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHERE FRACKING HAS BEEN DONE FOR DECADES. IS THERE A MYSTERIOUS INCREASE IN EARTHQUAKES AT ALL THESE SITES?
ARE THERE NATURAL CRACKS IN THE ROCK FORMATIONS WHICH COULD BE PART OF THE SAME SENARIO — MOVEMENT AT NATURAL CRACKS RESULTING EVENTUALLY IN A QUAKE.
DO THE QUAKES IN THE REST OF THE EARTH HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE FORMATIONS SURROUNDING THEM, CAUSING SOME MOVEMENT EVENTUALLY.
HOW MANY QUAKES OCCUR IN THE DEEP OCEANS . ARE ALL THE FORMATIONS NOT CONNECTED? JUST CURIOUS.
Even in California, Fracking has only been done in areas where there is already historic earthquake activity (many along the central San Andreas Fault zone). I ask the following question: is this where the gas reserves are, or is it where the earthquake activity will be less likely accredited to fracking?
So I guess it is just a big mystery why we see a sudden increase of seismic activity and record quakes in the eastern US this year that just happen to be in the proximity of fracking activity. Plus, do you really think these groups are fully compliant with existing law? Do you think they just might be doing things we really don’t know about? Oh, we are the public and would just get all upset about things we don’t understand. Did it ever occurr to you that waste disposal is one of the most criminally lucrative activities on the planet now?
You also should mention central Texas. I’ve lived in San Antonio, TX for over 30 years and we’ve never had a quake until the recent 4.8. It was attributed to tracking.
btw, you only heard about the 4.6 in Oct 2011. Also, there was a >2 mag one just n.e. of the 4.8 at the beginning of 2011. There are many many quakes near Snyder and Ft Worth that happened in 2011 and before. A 4.8 should have been followed by a dozen aftershocks over the next day.
The damage done will have to be to the point of no return before the media really picks this up. I have long felt this to be a horribly destructive and just plain terrible way to make money. I would not really consider myself a tree hugger per se, but I am terrified of this extraction method and what the long term results will be. Wake up and smell the methane!
Thanks for finding my image and putting it on the top of this post! Get more attention to this issue, the Oklahoma government is blinded by their political supporters and don’t seem to really care what happens.
Good work here and kudos for publishing a Fracking/Quake connection in OK. I love the visuals on this site. Visuals are a great way to quickly show a correlation that people will understand. I would suggest using data from the Oklahoma Geological Survey to overlay the 2010/2011 shale gas well completions with the seismic info on your map.
OGS oil/gas page:
http://www.ogs.ou.edu/level3-oilgas.php
OGS Database of Shale Gas Wells:
http://www.ogs.ou.edu/fossilfuels/xlsfiles/gasshalesdb.xls
In this data about shale gas and horizontal wells I only see one well in Lincoln County. Many of these wells are miles away from the fault the 5.6 happened on. What’s up with that.
“It’s a real mystery,” seismologist Austin Holland of the Oklahoma Geological Survey said of the recent shaking.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/scientists-puzzled-seismic-activity-biggest-earthquake-oklahoma-history-article-1.973517#ixzz1d2RSjECx
You’ve got your facts wrong. In Arkansas, the injection disposal wells were associated with the earthquakes – not the natural gas production wells that are hydraulically fractured. THIS ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS! The injection wells are not fracked and were actually drilled as natural gas wells many years ago (before fracking ever started). They are used to dispose of the excess fracking fluid that returns after fracking is complete. It is wrong to say that fracking caused the Arkansas earthquakes, unless you want to say “indirectly”. How do I know this? I am geologist – and no, I do not work for the oil and gas industry.
I don’t like fracking any more than you do, but you can’t win an argument if your facts are wrong!
Seems to me that this still points to fracking, as practiced today, is the culprit. How many gallons of waste water gets stored on these sites? I don’t believe anyone can produce this number readily. I see the EPA plans to study it and issue rules at some point, but it would seem its likely in the billions of gallons overall, this seems like it could mean a massive amount per well. Is it enough to destabilize the geology? It would seem many believe so.
If it is the re-injection of waste-water associated with fracking that is being linked to a rise in quakes, then fracking is still a culprit, as the waste-water (which is highly toxic and massive in quantity, hence the reason it is being disposed of underground and out-of-mind) is a direct result of fracking. This is an important issue and the natural gas industry is not the only industry seeking to dispose of highly toxic waste products via these older, abandoned wells. I have heard it is a method with burgeoning popularity for disposing of all kinds of unseemly side effects of our industrialized society, and that it is considered the more environmentally friendly form of waste disposal. Pray tell these practices come to light for debate, and may we brainstorm for alternatives.
I have worked in the oil fracking industry for about 11 years…and when I first learned what it was I thought to myself “well….that can’t be good”… but… let’s think this through. Fracking dosn’t cause stress in the earths crust… it relieves it. When the rock is fractured in many differant places it allows the stress that is normaly there to relieve…a little… maybe it is preventing a massive quake that could happen later… Maybe it isn’t… Even though I work in the industry, and therefore my opinions may be clouded by that… I do believe that you have to think past the first thoughts….and delve deeper. I know that all companies are in buisness to make money… but the energy provided by oil and natural gas have let man live a life style that is truly amazing. Try living a month not supporting a large energy producing company…you can start by turning off your computer 😉
People have lived comfortable lives for thousands of years without the energy we have today. We have several RENEWABLE energy resources readily available to us right now: wind, water and the sun. We do not need to delve into the earth, destroy the environment or pollute the air and water when we have energy sources that are free and allow us to live the same lifestyle that we are living now.
If a quake happens at one point on a fault – relieving stress – it will sometimes trigger a quake hundreds of miles away on the same fault system. If the stress is relieved in one place on the fault, it might cascade to the next pressure point. It happens in Southern California and all around the Pacific rim.
OGS says only a small percentage of the gas-shale wells are fracked (5% iirc). Still this site has published a credible if not substantiated connection that deserves to be followed up. Our record on other environmental is very poor, and the closed doors Cheney energy commission that gave blanket immunities to the gas industry nearly a decade ago seems to point to the idea that there might be something objectionable about fracking. This is certainly worthy of further investigation.
When I search for information relating the OK earthquakes to fracking, I find no credible sites with any information connecting the two. Why is it that only sites with names like Planetsave or Treehugger are saying this?
Check out dailykos FishOutofWater over the next day or 2. I’m looking at some of the details.
Do you have any evidence that gas is being produced near the largest earthquake? I have found no evidence of gas fracking in the area. However, I suspect this swarm has been induced by human activities.
The stand of the corporate people is analogous to the owner of a hospital saying our doctors prescribing you bleach to fix stomach problems is probably not the cause of your new health issues.
On a similar note wow causing rocks to crack !! The last time I hit a rock with a hammer my hand hurt from the vibration in the hammer. So lets get this straight – we’ve figured how to “dissolve”/crack the rocks beneath our feet that support everything above them and there is no relation to the ground above them shaking?
And you know what the way fracking pollutes ground water may actually spur the water ordering industry – you know the one our over-sized government sponsors to send to our homes at cents on the dollar. /endSaracam