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“The Oklahoma Geological Survey announced today the majority of recent earthquakes in central and north-central Oklahoma are likely triggered by the injection of produced water in disposal wells.”
The reason that this whole thing has become politicized is that certain pro-environment/anti-development groups have adopted "fracking" as a boogeyman which can stand for the any part of a fairly complex system of exploration, drilling, well completion (fracture treating is part of well completion, so when you read somebody call it a drilling technique, you'll know they aren't quite a knowledgeable as they let on) production (this is where the SWD part comes in) transportation, processing, and consumption which altogether makes our way of life possible. Many of these groups and the people who support them self-identify as Democrats (or at least as liberals) while most people who actively support energy development tend Republican (or at least Conservative).
Nevertheless, cities in Oklahoma should continue to have the right to ban or regulate drilling for oil and gas. There's nothing radical about this approach, since it has been legal to do so since 1935. Until around 2010 Tulsa had banned drilling for oil. But Republicans at the Oklahoma State Capitol are working on taking this right away. I certainly don't want an oil well drilled on the vacant lots only a half block away from me. I bet the oil company heads wouldn't want a fracking operation set up within a block of their home. Let them drill out in the country all they want, but they better not contaminate ponds or the ground water.
Sounds like they're giving Oklahoma an enema, they'll be sorry.
There's been around 34 earthquakes in Oklahoma for the last week. Some weeks get as many as 60 to 70. Conservatives and oil company supporters expect Oklahomans to learn to live with them the same as having to live with the threat from tornadoes and other weather disasters, like flash flooding. One way they expect you to live with them is to buy earthquake insurance, so you will be financially prepared for the BIG one. Oklahoma Earthquakes
Earthquakes thought to be man made have been as high as 7.9 in magnitude as in the one in central China in 2008, triggered from the weight and water penetration of a large new reservoir built very near a fault line. The Chinese government denies this as the cause of the earthquake.
U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist William Ellsworth reviewed the issue of injection-induced earthquakes in a recent study published in the journal Science. The article focused on the injection of fluids into deep wells as a common practice for disposal of wastewater, and discusses recent events and key scientific challenges for assessing this hazard and moving forward to reduce associated risks...
...wastewater disposal appears to have induced the magnitude-5.6 earthquake that struck rural central Oklahoma in 2011, leading to a few injuries and damage to more than a dozen homes. Damage from an earthquake of this magnitude would be even worse if it were to happen in a more densely populated area.
Quote:
Many questions have been raised about whether hydraulic fracturing -- commonly known as "fracking" -- is responsible for the recent increase of earthquakes. USGS's studies suggest that the actual hydraulic fracturing process is only very rarely the direct cause of felt earthquakes. While hydraulic fracturing works by making thousands of extremely small "microearthquakes," they are rarely felt and are too small to cause structural damage. As noted previously, wastewater associated with hydraulic fracturing has been linked to some, but not all, of the induced earthquakes.
Edit: katzpaw beat me to it. It's waste water. Isn't that special.
Nevertheless, cities in Oklahoma should continue to have the right to ban or regulate drilling for oil and gas. There's nothing radical about this approach, since it has been legal to do so since 1935. Until around 2010 Tulsa had banned drilling for oil. But Republicans at the Oklahoma State Capitol are working on taking this right away. I certainly don't want an oil well drilled on the vacant lots only a half block away from me. I bet the oil company heads wouldn't want a fracking operation set up within a block of their home. Let them drill out in the country all they want, but they better not contaminate ponds or the ground water.
But you don't own the property.
I bet you would change your mind, once the $5000 a week royalty checks started rolling in to your bank account.
I encountered someone today that firmly believes the unusual increase in seismic activity in Oklahoma is due not from fracking or other man-made activities, but a huge underground mountain chain located under Texas and Oklahoma. Based on my previous encounters with this person, he often feels to the need to rush to the defense of whatever position his "side" stands for regardless of the amount of evidence that disputes this stance.
Am I missing something? I am not even sure why this is a partisan issue. I am not an expert on fracking, but I think I can recognize a correlation when it is blatantly obvious.
It's unbelievable.
What the frack are you talking about? Everybody knows every time the Sun coms up, an earthquake happens...or maybe it's when the tide comes in.. I don't know, but Bill O'Reilly does. .
What the frack are you talking about? Everybody knows every time the Sun coms up, an earthquake happens...or maybe it's when the tide comes in.. I don't know, but Bill O'Reilly does. .
>>> What does the global warmer's mantra have to do with earthquakes?
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