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Injection Well Earthquakes 16X Less Potent than Regular Quakes

Over the past several years one of anti-drillers’ favorite issues to misrepresent and demagogue is the old lie that “fracking causes earthquakes.” We’ve written many articles examining and debunking that issue (see MDN’s earthquake articles here). It’s always good to establish that fracking itself has caused, at most, 4 earthquakes–out of the 100,000 or more times horizontal fracking has been used. Statistically it’s zero. However, a byproduct of fracking–leftover water and fluid–sometimes is disposed via a deep injection well. IF you inject fluids in a well that HAPPENS to be located near an active earthquake fault, that fluid can cause rock plates to slip, like greasing two pieces of metal that causes them to become slippery. Now a researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey says research shows that earthquakes caused by injection wells result in far less shaking (and damage) than regular old tectonic plate earthquakes…
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PA DEP Considers New Rules to Prevent Earthquakes from Fracking

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) has launched a “massive data mining project” to consider drafting new rules around induced seismicity–or the possibility that in rare circumstances fracking itself may cause low-level earthquakes. What seems to have caught the attention of the DEP is the assumption by their counterparts in Ohio, the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR), that a series of low-level earthquakes near the OH/PA border were in fact due to fracking operations being conducted by Hilcorp (see ODNR Says Youngstown Earthquakes “Probably” Caused by Fracking)…
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Did ODNR Overreact & Set Earthquake Detect Bar Too Low?

An article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer provides some perspective on Ohio’s new rules regarding fracking and earthquakes. As MDN reported yesterday, the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) is sortof, kindof convinced that a fracking operation over a previously unknown fault line triggered a series of earthquakes (see ODNR Says Youngstown Earthquakes “Probably” Caused by Fracking). The earthquakes were essentially undetectable at the surface, but it makes for great headlines.

What else can trigger an earthquake? How about 67,000 football fans stamping their feet? Yep–that happened earlier this year in Seattle, WA at CenturyLink Field during the NFL playoffs. Marshawn Lynch made a touchdown and the fans went wild, stamping their feet, which created a detectable earthquake–at the same level now measured for in Ohio. All of which means Ohio has set the bar pretty low and just about anything can set off the earthquake alarm…
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ODNR Says Youngstown Earthquakes “Probably” Caused by Fracking

probablyAlthough they don’t know for certain, the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) is assuming that Hilcorp’s Utica Shale drilling and fracking in the Youngstown area a month ago is the “probable” cause of a series of earthquakes in the area (see # of Youngstown Earthquakes go from 2 to 11 – Fracking to Blame?). A few of the earthquakes were barely felt by some people. Most of the 11 quakes were not noticeable by humans on the surface. On Friday the ODNR instituted a new policy requiring drilling and fracking near known faults and active earthquake areas to use a seismic monitor. If a 1.0 or higher quake occurs during drilling and fracking, all drilling will stop until it’s investigated.

If we assume the Ohio quakes in March were caused by fracking over a “previously unknown microfault” as the ODNR assumes, this would be the fourth such instance of fracking itself causing an earthquake–out of 60,000+ horizontally fracked wells (see Fracking has (so far) Triggered Earthquakes 3x – Out of 60K Wells). Statistically speaking it’s still zero. It’s important to a) acknowledge it can happen, but b) keep it in perspective. You have a greater chance of being struck by lightening than of experiencing a fracking-triggered earthquake. It only happens in specific, rare circumstances. Here’s the statement (and map) from the ODNR on how they’re going to treat drilling near faults and previous earthquake zones…
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Debunking the “Fracking Causes Earthquakes” Meme One More Time

Reuters OK Earthquake Lead on DrudgeIf you check out the Drudge Report from time to time (as we do), you would have noticed the big headline yesterday (Sunday) in 100-point type at the top blaring the news RECORD QUAKE ACTIVITY ROCKS OKLAHOMA. “Oh great” (we thought), “Another story about how fracking causes earthquakes.” We didn’t really expect that to be the story line, but lo and behold, when we clicked to read the story, it was a Reuters article that yes–blames fracking for a rash of earthquakes in Oklahoma, just because there’s active oil and gas drilling in the state.

We can almost set our calendars now by the media meme of “fracking causes earthquakes.” It comes around, regular as rain, about every three months. And so we feel it necessary to respond about every three months that no, fracking almost never causes earthquakes–three known times we can point to, out of more than 60,000 shale wells drilled (see Fracking has (so far) Triggered Earthquakes 3x – Out of 60K Wells). In other words, it’s statistically zero. However, injection wells that dispose of leftover frack wastewater by pumping it deep below the surface, sometimes do trigger earthquakes. It’s rare, but it happens when an injection well is pumping fluid near an underground fault. Is that what is happening in Oklahoma?…
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OH Earthquakes May Delay Opening of New Niles Injection Well

Although Niles (Trumbull County), Ohio is about 18 miles from Poland (Mahoning County), Ohio by car, it’s only about 8-9 miles “as the crow flies.” And that proximity may be a problem for a new Class II frack wastewater injection well set to open in just a few weeks in Niles. Why? Because nearby Poland is where there was a recent series of earthquakes (see # of Youngstown Earthquakes go from 2 to 11 – Fracking to Blame?).

American Water Management Services Inc. say they are about two weeks away from opening their new injection well in Niles–or could open if they get the necessary permits. The Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) says it’s too early to say whether or not the new injection well will be allowed to open in the next few weeks because of the ongoing earthquake investigation…
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Fracking has (so far) Triggered Earthquakes 3x – Out of 60K Wells

MDN has been following the story of 11 small earthquakes in the Youngstown, Ohio area early last week (see # of Youngstown Earthquakes go from 2 to 11 – Fracking to Blame?). We pointed out in that story that we are aware of exactly one proven instance where fracking a well has caused an earthquake–in England. Yesterday we ran a story about the PA DEP granting permits to Hilcorp to drill 7 new wells just 6 miles away from where Hilcorp voluntarily stopped drilling in Ohio while Ohio officials check out a possible connection between their drilling and the earthquakes (see Hilcorp Awarded Permits to Drill 7 New Wells Near Earthquake Zone).

In yesterday’s story we made the statement that “fracking simply does not cause earthquakes.” That statement was our short-hand way of saying “almost never, statistically never” but as one MDN reader pointed out, “not” means “100% not” and so our statement was factually incorrect. For that we apologize and want to correct the record and tell you about the three known times fracking has caused earthquakes…
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Hilcorp Awarded Permits to Drill 7 New Wells Near Earthquake Zone

Oh oh. It appears one hand does not know what the other is doing. Last week a new series of small earthquakes–barely able to be felt, but there all the same–rumbled through the Mahoning Valley–near Youngstown, OH. Because of injection well related earthquakes near Youngstown two years ago, residents are understandably jittery and wonder if the drilling industry is somehow at fault with this new outbreak. So the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR), out of what they call “an abundance of caution,” asked Hilcorp to stop all drilling and fracking activity in the area (see # of Youngstown Earthquakes go from 2 to 11 – Fracking to Blame?).

Hilcorp readily complied. We’ve discussed (endlessly) that fracking simply does not cause earthquakes–injection wells can and have caused earthquakes, when injecting fluid over an active fault. However, it’s best to play it safe in this situation. Two days after the earthquakes and Hilcorp’s cessation of drilling in Mahoning County, the Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) awarded Hilcorp permits to drill seven new horizontal shale wells in Lawrence County, PA–about six miles from where they stopped drilling over the border in Ohio. Oops…
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# of Youngstown Earthquakes go from 2 to 11 – Fracking to Blame?

earthquakeTwo days ago MDN told you about a pair of earthquakes near Youngstown, OH (see 2 New Earthquakes Near Youngstown, OH – Fracking Connection?). That number has now grown. So far there have been a total of 11 measurable earthquakes ranging from 1.2 (not felt by humans) to 3.0 (barely felt by some humans). We suspect most people around Mahoning County didn’t feel anything, but that doesn’t stop mass hysteria when it’s announced that there have been a series of earthquakes and the only thing (supposedly) going on in the area is drilling and fracking.

As we previously pointed out, we are aware of one instance–in England–where fracking over an active fault caused an earthquake. So it can happen. But that’s one time out of 60,000+ horizontally, hydraulically fractured shale wells worldwide (maybe more than that now). Statistically it’s zero. We need to keep perspective in this situation. Initially the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) said there are no active Class II injection wells in the area pumping waste fluids deep below the surface for disposal, and so the well being drilled and fracked by Hilcorp near the epicenter of the quake looks like the prime candidate as the cause. But one news story we’ve read (below) seems to cast doubt. There may be injection wells, which also have been known to cause earthquakes when injecting near a fault, operating in the area…
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2 New Earthquakes Near Youngstown, OH – Fracking Connection?

A few years ago a now-shuttered injection well near Youngstown, OH was linked to a series of earthquakes in the area (see ODNR Finds Youngstown Injection Well Caused Earthquakes). The injection well was found to be located over an active fault–and when you inject a lot of liquid into a fault area, you get earthquakes.

When earthquakes happen in areas like Youngstown–an area that doesn’t usually see such activity–it’s cause for concern. Yesterday morning there were two more earthquakes big enough to be felt in the Mahoning Valley area. The first quake was a 3.0 on the Richter scale, and the second a 2.6. So, out of “an abundance of caution,” the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (ODNR) has asked the single drilling operation in the area–Hilcorp Energy–to suspend their drilling activity for now. There are no active injection wells in the area–only Hilcorp’s Utica Shale drilling operation of 7 wells on 2 well pads…
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Seismologist: Fracking Does NOT Cause Earthquakes

fracking & earthquakesFinally, an AP reporter who listens and accurately reports the news. Wait, has hell frozen over? When AP starts reporting accurately, we become suspicious. But let’s not become distracted at this unusual turn of events…

On the first day of a two-day conference being hosted by West Virginia University on Marcellus Shale drilling in Morgantown, a seismologist from the University of Texas had the guts to set the record straight. He said: (1) Fracking does not cause earthquakes; (2) injection wells that dispose of fracking wastewater sometimes cause earthquakes; and (3) earthquakes triggered by injection wells are rare–extremely rare. And the AP reported it–accurately. Huh…
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New Case of Earthquakes Related to an Injection Well in WV?

One of the gross inaccuracies MDN has tried to address over the past several years is the claim that “fracking causes earthquakes.” It does not. At least not measurable earthquakes people can feel at the surface. No less a source than the National Academies of Science released a study last year to “finally” put that particular myth to rest (see NRC Study: Fracking Does Not Cause Earthquakes). Unfortunately the earthquake myth is just too good a PR opportunity to pass up, so anti-drillers haul it back out about every three months for a new round of exposure.

The earthquake issue is confusing for many people because there is a loose connection between earthquakes and fracking: injection wells. Although most fracking wastewater is now recycled to be used again for more drilling, some of it is disposed of via deep injection wells. If an injection well happens to be located near a geologic fault, the pressure from the injected fluid has the potential to trigger an earthquake. It happened in Youngstown, OH in late 2011/early 2012 (see ODNR Finds Youngstown Injection Well Caused Earthquakes). According to a recent report from WV Public Broadcasting, it may now be happening again near a Chesapeake-owned injection well in Braxton County, WV…
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Science Magazine Article on Fracking & Earthquakes: Nothing New

earthquakeMajor…media…is…breathless…… Fracking causes earthquakes! A single article by a single author published in Science magazine means it must be so, right? Wrong. Here’s what you need to know about the new article called, “Injection-Induced Earthquakes,” released yesterday on the Science website but containing a publish date of today: The article (from what we can tell by the abstract and media synopses of it), tells us nothing we don’t already know.

What do we know? Injecting any kind of fluid under pressure–fracking fluid, nasty waste chemicals, or even water itself–will cause an earthquake if enough fluid is injected near a seismic fault. We already know that. What you won’t see in major media accounts of the story is any kind of context, which MDN provides for you below…
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Stanford Prof Says Fracking & Earthquakes are a Concern

Every three or four months, as regular as clockwork, the mainstream media resurrects the claim that “fracking causes earthquakes.” We’ve written about it a number of times (see MDN’s Industrywide Issues>Earthquakes category). Any kind of underground activity causes small (micro) “earthquakes.” But the kind you feel on top of the ground–the kind of earthquake that makes the surface move? No, fracking does not do that. At least almost never–we are aware of a single instance in England where a well was fracked directly on a fault line that caused an earthquake (see Report from England Links Fracking to Earthquakes).

At yesterday’s “Shale Gas Promises and Challenges” event in Cleveland, a pro-drilling professor from Stanford University, Mark Zoback, playing to an anti-drilling crowd, said fracking’s link to earthquakes is a concern…
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NY’s Anti-Drillers Attempt Smear of Geologists Consulting for DEC

How does one convey the lunacy of the anti-drilling position in New York State? Latest example: The NY Dept. of Environment Conservation (DEC) has hired two geologists as consultants to evaluate earthquake risks associated with fracking (yes we know, there is no earthquake risk, but humor us for a bit). In a coordinated attack, anti-drillers say that because the two geologists have also done consulting assignments for nasty, evil drilling companies, they’re tainted. Damaged goods. Shills and tools of the drilling industry. Not to be trusted. Even though they’ve also done consulting work for environmentalist (anti-drilling) organizations. Doesn’t matter.

Such is how far anti-drillers have sunk in their campaign of smears and lies to try and prevent the miracle of hydraulic fracturing—which is already being done in NY in vertical conventional wells and has been for decades—from happening in the state for horizontal shale wells too.

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Canadian Questerre Energy Says Fracking Causes Tiny Earthquakes

It seems that every month or two someone resurrects a very dead issue: fracking causes earthquakes. MDN has covered the issue extensively over time (just do a quick MDN search on the word earthquake). In a nutshell, the only known instance when the process of fracking a shale gas well has caused an earthquake detectable on the surface was in England, and it was a unique situation where the drilling was shallow and near a geologic fault (see this MDN story).

Canadian energy company Questerre Energy Corporation is working to develop Utica Shale acreage in the St. Lawrence Lowlands area of Quebec province. Must be they’re getting push-back from environmentalists and investors because they’ve just issued what they call a “fact sheet” on the topic of fracking and earthquakes. According to Questerre, fracking does cause earthquakes—but they’re teeny tiny and not detectable on the surface.

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