Did anyone feel the earthquakes in East Texas yesterday? (El Paso: 2013, house)
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"There are better things ahead than behind. CS Lewis"
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I always miss them- dadgummit! And these happened in the late afternoon when I was home, but I didn't feel a thing. Epicenter was in Timpson but people reported feeling them even in Longview and Gladewater.
The second one yesterday was a 4.8 - you'd think I'd have felt that one, at least. But no deal!
Sorry for my morbid interest but I spent several years of my life in Japan, where earthquakes are a common occurrence. I think they're cool, in moderation of course.
I'm gonna get skewered for saying this but chances are those quakes are indirectly caused by fracking. No, not the actual fracking itself, but rather the injection of millions of gallons of used fracking solution into deep injection wells. There's pretty strong evidence that injection wells can induce earthquakes and there are several of them operating in Shelby County.
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"There are better things ahead than behind. CS Lewis"
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Location: Wonderland
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bluescreen73
I'm gonna get skewered for saying this but chances are those quakes are indirectly caused by fracking. No, not the actual fracking itself, but rather the injection of millions of gallons of used fracking solution into deep injection wells. There's pretty strong evidence that injection wells can induce earthquakes and there are several of them operating in Shelby County.
Well, here's a question for you:
If fracking is causing these earthquakes, then I wonder what caused all these earthquakes in east Texas prior to fracking?
Texas
Earthquake History
The October 22, 1882 earthquake felt, in Texas, was probably centered in Oklahoma or Arkansas; the total felt area covered about 375,000 square kilometers. At Sherman, Texas, heavy machinery vibrated, bricks were thrown from chimneys, and movable objects overturned. A May 3, 1887, earthquake in Sonora, Mexico, caused damage at Bavispe and was felt strongly in parts or Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. The epicenter was in the Sierra Madre Occidental Range.
On January 8, 1891, violent shaking of buildings and a few toppled chimneys were reported from Rusk, Texas. These effects were evaluated as intensity VII, although other towns in eastern Texas along a northeast- southwest line through Rusk experienced tornadoes and sudden, violent wind storms producing effects similar to, and in some cases more damaging than, those in Rusk.
A locally damaging earthquake occurred at Panhandle, Texas, on March 28, 1917. Some cracked plaster was reported, and children were evacuated from a school building (VI).
Another disturbance occurred in the area on July 30, 1925. There were three distinct shocks over a period of 15 seconds. Major problems were the shaking of dishes from shelves and rattling and creaking of furniture (V). The shocks were felt over an area of approximately 518,000 square kilometers including distant points such as Roswell, New Mexico, 350 kilometers away; Tulsa, Oklahoma, 480 kilometers away; and Leavenworth, Kansas, 640 kilometers away.
The 1931 western Texas earthquake heavily damaged many buildings at Valentine. Also, many chimneys fell (VIII). The shock occurred at 5:40 a.m. on August 16; although people were panic stricken, there were no fatalities and only a few minor injuries from falling adobe. Adobe buildings suffered most, and cement and brick walls in many places were badly cracked. Even though Valentine bore the brunt of the shock, damage was reported from widely scattered points in Brewster, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio Counties. Cracked walls and damaged chimneys were reported from several towns. The total felt area covered about 647,000 square kilometers in Texas and New Mexico and an estimated 518,000 square kilometers in Mexico. The earthquake was accompanied by rumbling subterranean sounds heard over practically the entire affected area. The shock, measured at magnitude 6.4, was strongly recorded on all seismographs in North America and at stations all over the world. Numerous aftershocks were felt in the epicentral region; the strongest, on August 18, was intensity V at Alpine, Lobo, Pecos, and Valentine and intensity IV at Carlsbad, New Mexico. A minor aftershock was felt at Valentine on November 3.
Slight damage resulted from an earthquake in the Mexia - Wortham area on April 9, 1932. Loose bricks were thrown down, and some plaster cracked (V-VI). The shock was also felt at Coolidge, Currie, Groesbeck, Hillsboro, Teague, and Richland. A moderate earthquake affected an area of about 7700 square kilometers in northeastern Texas and an adjoining portion of Oklahoma on April 11, 1934. The tremor was most distinctly felt at Arthur City, Caviness, Chicota, Powderly, and Trout Switch (intensity V). Many persons who felt the shock reported having heard a roaring or rumbling noise. Two shocks were recognized by many observers.
A widely felt earthquake with an epicenter in the Panhandle region occurred on June 19, 1936. Intensity V effects were noted at Gruver, White Deer, and Whittenberg, Texas, Kenton, Oklahoma, and Elkhart, Kansas. The area of perceptibility covered about 103,000 square kilometers. On March 11, 1948, another shock in the Panhandle area caused minor damage, consisting mainly of cracked plaster, in northern Texas, a few places in northeastern New Mexico and northwestern Oklahoma, and one place in southeastern Colorado. The strongest effects (VI) were reported from Amarillo, Channing, Dalhart, Electric City, Panhandle, Perico, and Perryton. The felt area, which was slightly larger than that of the preceding earthquake, covered about 129,000 square kilometers. The Texas Panhandle area was the center for another moderate shock on June 20, 1951. Damage to plaster (VI) occurred at Amarillo and Hereford. The felt region extended from Lubbock to Borger.
Four shocks over 6 hours affected an area of about 26,000 square kilometers in northeastern Texas and bordering portions of Arkansas and Louisiana on March 19, 1957. Press reports noted that a few objects were upset and at least one or two windows were broken. Newspaper office and police station switchboards were swamped with calls from alarmed residents. Intensity V effects were felt at Diana, Elkhart, Gladewater, Marshall, Nacogdoches, and Troup, Texas, and Magnolia, Arkansas.
A series of moderate earthquakes in the Texas - Louisiana border region near Hemphill started on April 23, 1964. Epicenters were determined on April 23, 24, 27, and 28. There were numerous additional shocks reported felt at Pineland, Hemphill, and Milam. The only damage reported was from the magnitude 4.4 earthquake on April 28 - wall paper and plaster cracked at Hemphill (V). The magnitude of the other epicenters changed from 3.4 to 3.7. Shocks were also felt at Pineland on April 30 and May 7. On June 2, three more shocks were reported in the same area. The strongest was measured at magnitude 4.2; intensities did not exceed IV. Another moderate earthquake on August 16 awakened several people at Hemphill and there were some reports of cracked plaster (V). The shock was also felt at Bronson, Geneva, Milam, and Pineland.
The Texas Panhandle region experienced another tremor on July 20, 1966. The magnitude 4.8 earthquake knocked books from a shelf in one home and was felt by nearly all (V) in Borger. At Amarillo, an observer in the courthouse reported a chair moved 4 or 5 inches. A similar effect was noted at the Federal Aviation Administration control tower at the Municipal Airport; observers thought a truck had hit the tower. Several street signs were knocked down and windows were broken (VI) at Kermit from a magnitude 3.4 earthquake on August 14, 1966. The shock was also felt at Wink, Texas, and Loco Hill, New Mexico.
Four small earthquakes occurred near El Paso on May 12, 1969. The first two shocks, 23 minutes apart, were measured at magnitude 3.3 and 3.4. One house in El Paso had hairline cracks in the ceiling and cracks in the cement driveway (VI). These earthquakes were also felt at Newman.
On February 15, 1974, an earthquake in the Texas Panhandle caused plaster cracks (V) at Booker, Darrovzett, and Perryton. Similar effects were noted at Liberal, Kansas, and Texhoma and Woodward, Oklahoma. The magnitude 4.5 shock was felt over an area of about 37,000 square kilometers.
RECENT EAST TEXAS EARTHQUAKE TIMELINE
•May 10, 2012 - (3.9) NW of Timpson.
•May 17, 2012 - (4.8) ENE of Timpson.
•May 20, 2012 - (2.7) SSW of Timpson.
•May 26, 2012 - (2.5) SE of Timpson.
•June 16, 2012 - (2.1) SSW of Timpson.
•December 7, 2012 - (2.8) SW of Timpson.
•January 25, 2013 - (4.1) W of Timpson.
•January 29, 2013 - (2.8) S of Timpson
•January 31, 2013 - (2.7) S of Timpson
•September 2, 2013 - (4.1) WNW of Timpson
Another series of moderate earthquakes hit Sabine County on April 23, 1964. According to the USGS, Hemphill was near the epicenter of the 4.4 magnitude earthquake. Aftershocks were reported in Pineland, Hemphill, and Milam. Cracked wallpaper and plaster were the only damage reported. More tremors, reaching 4.2 in magnitude, were reported in May, June, and August of that year.
In 1957, several shocks were reported at 4.7 in magnitude in the Gladewater area in Northeast Texas.
No fracking was taking place then. Earthquake activity in East Texas is not unusual. There is a fault line that's fairly active that crosses through this area called the Mount Enterprise fault.
If fracking is causing these earthquakes, then I wonder what caused all these earthquakes in east Texas prior to fracking?
I didn't say it was fracking, but disposal of fracking waste is part of the fracking process, so while waste injection may not technically be fracking, it's intellectually dishonest to wag a finger and say fracking isn't the cause.
Remember the earthquake swarm Cleburne experienced a few years ago? Those were linked to injection wells in Johnson County.
As far as earthquake history goes there have been unexplained earthquakes across the country during pre-fracking times, and I'm sure there are hundreds if not thousands of subterranean faults that haven't been discovered and/or haven't moved in several millennia, but to simply discount injection wells because it suits an agenda is asinine.
Injecting fluid deep into the earth is a lot like trying to loosen a rusted/frozen nut with WD-40. You may be pulling on a wrench with all your might and getting nowhere with it, but after shooting a little WD-40 in there the nut breaks free unexpectedly and suddenly while you're pulling as hard as you can. Same concept applies here. Fluid injected into the ground acts as a lubricant that causes areas under some amount of seismic stress to move more easily and readily than they would under normal circumstances.
I always miss them- dadgummit! And these happened in the late afternoon when I was home, but I didn't feel a thing. Epicenter was in Timpson but people reported feeling them even in Longview and Gladewater.
The second one yesterday was a 4.8 - you'd think I'd have felt that one, at least. But no deal!
Sorry for my morbid interest but I spent several years of my life in Japan, where earthquakes are a common occurrence. I think they're cool, in moderation of course.
My wife and sister and law felt one. It lasted about 15 seconds. About like being on a cruise ship. They were near downtown Nacogdoches.
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"There are better things ahead than behind. CS Lewis"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bluescreen73
Quote:
I didn't say it was fracking, but disposal of fracking waste is part of the fracking process, so while waste injection may not technically be fracking, it's intellectually dishonest to wag a finger and say fracking isn't the cause.
No, what's intellectually dishonest is to imply or state that ANY fracking RELATED activity is the cause of the recent earthquakes in East Texas, when there is simply little to no evidence that that is the case. There is an active fault line called the Mount Enterprise Fault that runs through this area, and there have been clusters of earthquakes along that fault line since records started being kept in 1847. I have already provided the links to that information, so I won't do so again. But I have provided scientific evidence from a wide range of neutral sources which give a good explanation for the recent East Texas earthquakes - and their professional explanations point to the existing fault line.
No, what's intellectually dishonest is to imply or state that ANY fracking RELATED activity is the cause of the recent earthquakes in East Texas, when there is simply little to no evidence that that is the case. There is an active fault line called the Mount Enterprise Fault that runs through this area, and there have been clusters of earthquakes along that fault line since records started being kept in 1847. I have already provided the links to that information, so I won't do so again. But I have provided scientific evidence from a wide range of neutral sources which give a good explanation for the recent East Texas earthquakes - and their professional explanations point to the existing fault line.
Fair enough, but it's also idiotic to have disposal wells placed in an area with a known fault system. That's just asking for trouble, and in all likelihood these injection wells could conceivably increase the frequency of earthquakes along the fault line.
..OTOH, a more frequent/smaller magnitude earthquake pattern would be better than one big one.....
The real concern over whether frac'ing causes earthquakes or not is whether the disposed fluids migrate or not, not whether there is an earthquake or not.
And, I think the general consensus among (uninvolved) experts is that there is not enough data to show that frac'ing is or is not affecting quake frequency - it may, or maybe it doesn't. Anyone that says 'yes it does' or 'no it does not' is not really being factual.
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