Sixfold increase in US earthquakes may be caused by injection wells, say scientists

[Rhiannon12866]

Since 2009 the earthquake rate in the United States has more than sextupled. Two studies released this week by teams at the University of Colorado and Stanford University may show why.

From 1973 to 2008, the United States experienced an average of 21 earthquakes a year of magnitude 3.0 or higher. From 2009 to 2013, there were 99 a year, and in 2014, it jumped to 653 a year.

What changed?

Two studies released today, one in the journal Science Advances and the other in Science point to the same answer: wastewater disposal wells.

These studies arrive on the heels of the Oklahoma Geological Survey's announcement two months ago that it is “very likely that the majority of recent earthquakes, particularly those in central and north-central Oklahoma, are triggered by the injection of produced water in disposal wells.”

More: http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/0619/Sixfold-increase-in-US-earthquakes-may-be-caused-by-injection-wells-say-scientists



A new study ties high-rate injection wells like this salt water disposal well in Colorado to an enormous increase in the rate of earthquakes.

[pipoman]

1. No fucking shit...

may be caused by injection wells, say scientists

"May" huh? Jhc...

[Rhiannon12866]

2. I posted this because the increase in numbers is just staggering!

[Warpy]

3. Not to mention swarms of quakes in areas that were geologically stable

until the frackers moved in.

In related news: water is wet.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. The fact that it's still going on means too few people are aware - or care.

BTW, love your new signature...

[Nihil]

6. It's option 2: It is very well known but too few people care.

This effect has been a documented reference in geology textbooks & courses
ever since the 1960s ...

(FWIW: BA in Earth Sciences + BSc (Hons) in Geology & Physics.).


The initial study concerned how injection into a 3-km-deep well at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal
triggered earthquakes.

(Healy JH, Rubey WW, Griggs DT, Raleigh CB. The Denver earthquakes. Science. 1968;161:1301–1310.)


Soon after the above, it was shown experimentally that earthquakes could be turned on and off
by varying the rate at which water was injected and thus modulating reservoir pressure.

(Raleigh CB, Healy JH, Bredehoeft JD. An experiment in earthquake control at rangely, colorado. Science. 1976;191:1230–1237.)

Extract from the second reference (via http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17737698):

Abstract
An experiment in an oil field at Rangely, Colorado, has demonstrated the feasibility of earthquake control. Variations in seismicity were produced by controlled variations in the fluid pressure in a seismically active zone.
...
The results of this experiment confirm the predicted effect of fluid pressure on earthquake activity and indicate that earthquakes can be controlled wherever we can control the fluid pressure in a fault zone.

There is no "ignorance" or "mistakes" or "accidents" involved in this situation: it is
all very well-known & proven science.

The decision to proceed with it is purely financial - yes, even up to good old POTUS.

[brett_jv]

5. LIBERAL LIES!!!

Everybody knows that mere 'MAN' cannot POSSIBLY impact large-scale stuff like 'earthquakes' or lol ... 'climate'!?!

All good, pious folk understand the FACT that such things are purely within the divine province of The Almighty.

This here articul and these dam syuntists are just out therr spewin' a buncha damn librul propaganda!!111!!!1!

[Bill USA]

7. and with Earthquakes you should have fracturing of rock stratas. And with new fractures, doesn't

that present a possibility of the injected chemicals and water finding their way up to the levels where the ground water is supposed to be? ... which the (mother) frackers said would not be fouled by fracking activity (because they are injecting below where the ground water resides).

[Nihil]

8. But earthquakes are usually classified as "An Act of God" ...

... so it's not *their* fault if the ground water is now polluted is it?