Wastewater injection causes earthquakes

[User Name]

From the journal Nature:

Two new studies provide the strongest evidence yet that oil and gas companies have caused a rash of earthquakes in the central United States by injecting wastewater into underground wells.

One study, in Science, finds that the extraordinary increase in quakes took place almost exclusively within 15 kilometres of such wells. The second, in Science Advances, confirms that most seismic activity in one state, Oklahoma, is linked to wells that are used to dispose of huge volumes of saltwater.

Both findings are a significant step forward in explaining why earthquake rates have soared in the central United States. In the 1970s, there were no more than 30 magnitude-3 or greater earthquakes per year in the region. That rate accelerated sharply in 2009, reaching more than such 650 quakes last year.​

 

[PureX]

I predict that no one cares and nothing will be done about it. The rich have found a new way to make even more money, and the fix is in. So there's no changing course no matter what the consequence.

We are a nation governed by our greed.

 

[Nick M]

Matthew 24

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

Or it is coming from China's CO2. lain:

 

[User Name]

Oklahoma hit by its third-strongest earthquake ever

Oil fields have boomed in Oklahoma over the past decade thanks to advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, and seismologists have said the state's frequent earthquakes may be linked to disposal wells that inject saltwater, a natural byproduct of oil and gas work, into deep underground caverns.

Earthquakes in Oklahoma in January led to calls for the governor to make changes to oil and gas drilling regulations.​

 

[musterion]

I predict that no one cares and nothing will be done about it. The rich have found a new way to make even more money, and the fix is in. So there's no changing course no matter what the consequence.

We are a nation governed by our greed.

If that were the absolute you portray it as, we'd have oil and gas pipelines running everywhere.

 

[fzappa13]

From the journal Nature:

Two new studies provide the strongest evidence yet that oil and gas companies have caused a rash of earthquakes in the central United States by injecting wastewater into underground wells.

One study, in Science, finds that the extraordinary increase in quakes took place almost exclusively within 15 kilometres of such wells. The second, in Science Advances, confirms that most seismic activity in one state, Oklahoma, is linked to wells that are used to dispose of huge volumes of saltwater.

Both findings are a significant step forward in explaining why earthquake rates have soared in the central United States. In the 1970s, there were no more than 30 magnitude-3 or greater earthquakes per year in the region. That rate accelerated sharply in 2009, reaching more than such 650 quakes last year.​

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but, don't earthquakes happen along fault lines?

 

[User Name]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but, don't earthquakes happen along fault lines?

Sure, have a look at this: https://weather.com/safety/earthquake/news/oklahoma-fault-map

 

[fzappa13]

Okay, so, now on to the next point. This "waste water" being injected into wells is that which came out of the wells in the first place. It is largely salt water that has some residual hydrocarbon content. This is done for two reasons; it gives producers somewhere to put the water but, more importantly, it forces what oil is left in the formation to the surface where it may be more easily collected.

One would think that any damage done that would result in a higher instance of earthquakes would result from a change in the status quo (pumping oil and water out) and, if anything, pumping water back in would help ameliorate the situation, not worsen it.

 

[fzappa13]

Oklahoma hit by its third-strongest earthquake ever

Oil fields have boomed in Oklahoma over the past decade thanks to advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, and seismologists have said the state's frequent earthquakes may be linked to disposal wells that inject saltwater, a natural byproduct of oil and gas work, into deep underground caverns.

Earthquakes in Oklahoma in January led to calls for the governor to make changes to oil and gas drilling regulations.​

Injection wells are shallow. Shale fracted wells are not. The formations are structurally completely different. Apples and oranges.

 

[User Name]

if anything, pumping water back in would help ameliorate the situation, not worsen it.

Fracking is called fracking because solid rock is fractured apart by the high pressure waste water which then makes its way to fault lines. These faults are lubricated by the high pressure waste water, which triggers earthquakes.

Before 2009, there were virtually no earthquakes in Oklahoma above 3.0. Since 2009, Oklahoma has been setting records for earthquakes. Why? :think:

 

[musterion]

Sure, have a look at this: https://weather.com/safety/earthquake/news/oklahoma-fault-map

Such a shame. All that A-1, wasted.

 

[fzappa13]

Fracking is called fracking because solid rock is fractured apart by the high pressure waste water which then makes its way to fault lines. These faults are lubricated by the high pressure waste water, which triggers earthquakes.

Which has nothing whatsoever to do with injection wells which are the remnant of the first oil formations exploited many years ago and which are much shallower and cavernous in nature. The article you offered cited these wells as being the culprit and then both they and you go on to lecture about a totally different formation, depth and harvesting technique to substantiate this argument.

I'm not suggesting that oil and gas harvesting at both levels is without consequence. I'm just suggesting that the arguments offered here are not logically constructed. The facts don't bear out the conclusions.

Before 2009, there were virtually no earthquakes in Oklahoma above 3.0. Since 2009, Oklahoma has been setting records for earthquakes. Why? :think:

You might want to research that idea a little more diligently before making such offerings ...


http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/oklahoma/history.php


... and then there is the matter of the brevity of efforts to record these occurrences.

 

[User Name]

Before 2009, there were virtually no earthquakes in Oklahoma above 3.0. Since 2009, Oklahoma has been setting records for earthquakes. Why? :think:

You might want to research that idea a little more diligently before making such offerings ...

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/oklahoma/history.php

From the USGS: Graph of the Number of Oklahoma earthquakes 1978 to 1915

 

[fzappa13]

Fracking is called fracking because solid rock is fractured apart by the high pressure waste water

In re-reading this I think I see a potential source of misunderstanding as it concerns the use of water in injection wells and fracked wells. Water is used in injection wells to drive petroleum to the surface of shallow, cavernous formations. Water (and other chemicals) are applied to tighter, deeper formations to release trapped hydrocarbons.

One should not confuse one with the other for the sake of rhetoric. They are two very different subjects.

 

[chrysostom]

do you like low priced gas and oil?

 

[fzappa13]

From the USGS: Graph of the Number of Oklahoma earthquakes 1978 to 1915

I noticed you left this out ...

... and then there is the matter of the brevity of efforts to record these occurrences.

Why?

 

[chrysostom]

earthquakes lowers the price of gas

 

[User Name]

I noticed you left this out ...

Why?

Are you saying that the dramatic increase in the frequency and strength of Oklahoma earthquakes since 2009 is solely attributable to "the brevity of efforts to record these occurrences?"

 

[User Name]

In re-reading this I think I see a potential source of misunderstanding as it concerns the use of water in injection wells and fracked wells. Water is used in injection wells to drive petroleum to the surface of shallow, cavernous formations. Water (and other chemicals) are applied to tighter, deeper formations to release trapped hydrocarbons.

One should not confuse one with the other for the sake of rhetoric. They are two very different subjects.

I get your point here. It would seem to me that fracking is more at issue, so perhaps that should have been the focus of the OP, rather than simple wastewater injection. Perhaps both are at issue, but fracking more so:

Between the years 1973–2008, there was an average of 21 earthquakes of magnitude three and larger in the central and eastern United States. This rate jumped to an average of 99 M3+ earthquakes per year in 2009–2013, and the rate continues to rise. In 2014, alone, there were 659 M3 and larger earthquakes. Most of these earthquakes are in the magnitude 3–4 range, large enough to have been felt by many people, yet small enough to rarely cause damage. There were reports of damage from some of the larger events, including the M5.6 Prague, Oklahoma earthquake and the M5.3 Trinidad, Colorado earthquake.​

-- http://earthquake.usgs.gov/research/induced/

 

[User Name]

How does the injection of wastewater at depth cause earthquakes?

Earth's crust is pervasively fractured at depth by faults. These faults can sustain high stresses without slipping because natural "tectonic" stress and the weight of the overlying rock pushes the opposing fault blocks together, increasing the frictional resistance to fault slip. The injected wastewater counteracts the frictional forces on faults and, in effect, "pries them apart", thereby facilitating earthquake slip.​

-- http://www.usgs.gov/faq/categories/9833/3426

Do all wastewater disposal wells induce earthquakes?

No. Of more than 150,000 Class II injection wells in the United States, roughly 40,000 are waste fluid disposal wells for oil and gas operations. Only a small fraction of these disposal wells have induced earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern to the public.​

-- http://www.usgs.gov/faq/categories/9833/3424