Earthquakes and Fracking

Earthquakes and Fracking information on Earthworks Earthquakes and Hydraulic Fracturing Fact Sheet

Earthquakes caused by fracking

• British Columbia Oil & Gas Commission: Investigation of Observed Seismicity in the Horn River Basin, August 2012
• CBC Fracking causes minor earthquakes, B.C. regulator says
• British Geological Survey: Fracking and Earthquake Hazard
• Cuadrilla Resources: Geomechanical Study of Bowland Shale Seismicity, 2011.
• Schlumberger Seismicity in the Oil Field
• Kansas Agland What’s known – and suspected – about induced earthquakes

Earthquakes caused by fracking wastewater injection

• Science Injection-Induced Earthquakes 2013.
• National Academy of Sciences: Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies, 2012.
• The Earth Institute Columbia University Wastewater Injection Spurred Biggest Earthquake Yet, Says Study
• Journal of Geology Potentially induced earthquakes in Oklahoma, USA: Links between wastewater injection and the 2011 Mw 5.7 earthquake Abstract Article
• Capitol Confidential Tkaczyk, Avella question DEC’s seismic work
• Mother Jones Fracking’s Latest Scandal? Earthquake Swarms
• Southern Methodist University Causal factors for seismicity near Azle, Texas

Washington Post Article

By Dan Keating and Darla Cameron

A lawsuit claims that Oklahoma’s great increase in earthquake activity has been caused by pumping waste from drilling operations back underground. The suit involves the largest measured quake in the history of the state, a 5.6 tremor that happened in Prague, east of Oklahoma City in November 2011. The pace of quakes with magnitude 3 or higher has increased since then, with 567 in 2014, and 52 in less than four weeks this month.

See article here https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/oklahoma-earthquakes/?tid=a_inl

Earthquakes and regulations in USA

Many states in USA have been experiencing increases in earthquakes including Ohio, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas, and in some of states restrictions have been placed on fluid injection underground.

Oklahoma Corporate Comission issued restrictions on wells in earthquake prone areas. Similar steps have been taken in Texas.

Arkansas suspended injection wells after an earthquake swarm in 2011. https://www.earthworksaction.org/earthblog/detail/firms_suspend_activities_after_arkansas_earthquakes_linked_to_fracking#.V2BvsHlJn-d

See more at:  https://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/fracking_earthquakes?gclid=Cj0KEQjw1v66BRCV-6rh6s-Biu8BEiQAelpui1xLfC6ezKPWn2yvPxyjWvG1g-gsZja0-kR9E1e0hP8aAtGl8P8HAQ#.V2BwK3lJn-d

The Limestone Coast of SA is the fourth most seismic area in SA.

The epi-centre of South Australia’s biggest earthquake between Kingston SE and Beachport occurred in 1897, magnitude 6.5, intensity 9. It was felt in Port Augusta and Melbourne, toppled chimneys in Adelaide and there was massive damage around Beachport, Kingston and Robe and liquefaction occurred.