USGS Confirms Earthquake Caused by Injection Well Activity

[mkjeeves]

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a press release yesterday indicating that the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that struck Prague, Oklahoma in 2011 was unintentionally human-induced.

The USGS claims that the magnitude 5.0 earthquake triggered by waste-water injection the previous day “trigger[ed] a cascade of earthquakes, including a larger one, [which] has important implications for reducing the seismic risk from waste-water injection.”


U.S. Geological Survey confirms: Human activity caused 5.7 quake in Oklahoma | The Raw Story

[Dennis Heaton]

"Despite this risk, authorities in Oklahoma continue to allow waste-water injection near the Wilzetta fault."(from above referenced article)

[musg8411]

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a press release yesterday indicating that the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that struck Prague, Oklahoma in 2011 was unintentionally human-induced.

The USGS claims that the magnitude 5.0 earthquake triggered by waste-water injection the previous day “trigger[ed] a cascade of earthquakes, including a larger one, [which] has important implications for reducing the seismic risk from waste-water injection.”


U.S. Geological Survey confirms: Human activity caused 5.7 quake in Oklahoma | The Raw Story

This story was taken a bit out of context from the original. The original story from USGS said it "may have" caused the quake.

[Dustin]

Shocking!

/s

[mkjeeves]

USGS story with "may have" and a link to the paper


PASADENA, Calif. — In a new study involving researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey, scientists observed that a human-induced magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma in November 2011 may have triggered the larger M5.7 earthquake less than a day later. This research suggests that the M5.7 quake was the largest human-caused earthquake associated with wastewater injection.

USGS Release: 2011 Oklahoma Induced Earthquake May Have Triggered Larger Quake (3/6/2014 5:00:00 PM)

[Dennis Heaton]

Hmmmmm...so, The Raw Story intentionally omitted the word "may." Wonder why they did that?

[kevinpate]

So it might have been a fracking earthquake instead of a fricking earth quake? You're all shook up either way I suppose.

[mkjeeves]

Pretty sure Raw Story is not the hot news item but feel free to knock yourself out talking them. Might as well work the USGS are all biased scientists and/or academics too while you're at it. Perhaps even toss in a "Thanks, Obama!" too. It's his watch.

The way I read it, the news is the USGS builds on a previous report expanding the events possibly related to the injection well activity...activity at the well happened, a quake happened, a second larger quake happened. Their opinion after study is they all may have been related, one event leading to the other.

[jn1780]

Link to the official report.

USGS Release: 2011 Oklahoma Induced Earthquake May Have Triggered Larger Quake (3/6/2014 5:00:00 PM)

Edit: My bad, didn't notice it was already posted.

[Mel]

So it might have been a fracking earthquake instead of a fricking earth quake? You're all shook up either way I suppose.

On BSG, yes, it's a fracking earthquake.

[David]

Hmmmmm...so, The Raw Story intentionally omitted the word "may." Wonder why they did that?

I was going blame it on an editor coming up with a more exciting title for the article, but then I read the article itself and changed my mind. The author is either pushing an agenda or isn't enough of a hard science person to know the difference between the original report and what he wrote. Then again, you'd think a guy with a Ph.D. in English Literature would know that leaving out "may have" substantially changes the story.

[Bunty]

"Despite this risk, authorities in Oklahoma continue to allow waste-water injection near the Wilzetta fault."(from above referenced article)

I wonder what the governor's response will be if an earthquake turns stronger than 5.7 and kills people? Oil companies better work closer with scientists to better figure out what's going on in the earth and make adjustments to what they're doing, if necessary. If not, a more damaging earthquake could happen, and the oil companies could get sued out of existence.

I think Gov. Fallin was in Stillwater this morning when two earthquakes happened nearby. If she was, I wonder if she noticed them. The stronger of the two was 3.4. She is in Stillwater this afternoon to have a private meeting with the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce members and guests, which to me shows what type political interest she wants closer connections. I wonder if she will be asked if the state should do more about the earthquakes.

[Richard at Remax]

well, things do move more freely when lubed

[Bunty]

Governor Fallin: Let scientist study earthquakes before any drilling decisions are made » Local News » Stillwater NewsPress

[Just the facts]

The thing more troubling than the earthquakes is how fast these new wells are drying up. Apparently they don't hold near the reserves as previously believed.

[Stan Silliman]

The thing more troubling than the earthquakes is how fast these new wells are drying up. Apparently they don't hold near the reserves as previously believed.

Are these new wells being drilled in existing explored areas?
Are some wells new depths at existing sites?

I used to deal with an oil man named Nelson Guyer with a company called Thermodyne.
He didn't do water injection fracking but rather he collected a field of dribblers then he set off
underground explosions.

He had investors from around the country but his largest partner was Major Riddle, the owner of
the Sands and the Dunes Casino in Las Vegas. Back in the late 70s Riddle would come into Norman
and meet with Guyer at Legends and they would laugh about the capacity of his underground bomb
where they would drill down about 2000' to set off charges. The fields were east and south of OKC.

[mkjeeves]

Are these new wells being drilled in existing explored areas?
Are some wells new depths at existing sites?

I used to deal with an oil man named Nelson Guyer with a company called Thermodyne.
He didn't do water injection fracking but rather he collected a field of dribblers than set off
underground explosions.

He had investors from around the country but his largest partner was Major Riddle, the owner of
the Sands and the Dunes Casino in Las Vegas. Back in the late 70s Riddle would come into Norman
and meet with Guyer at Legends and they would laugh about the capacity of his underground bomb
where they would drill down about 2000' to set off charges. The fields were east and south of OKC.

I think what he is referring to is the wells drilled in the new found shales, (accomplished by fracking) have most of their production occur up front and rapidly deplete in comparison to more traditional wells that produce less up front and more over time (by my understanding.) I don't think that has much to do with the overall reserve estimates contained in the shales as being less, but there is some talk around the web saying all the shale activity constitutes a short lived drilling bubble.

[Stan Silliman]

See below

[Stan Silliman]

http://comedyempirepress.com/SilliZyk3pic.jpg

[Just the facts]

I think what he is referring to is the wells drilled in the new found shales, (accomplished by fracking) have most of their production occur up front and rapidly deplete in comparison to more traditional wells that produce less up front and more over time (by my understanding.) I don't think that has much to do with the overall reserve estimates contained in the shales as being less, but there is some talk around the web saying all the shale activity constitutes a short lived drilling bubble.

How I am understanding it is that there is big volume of oil up front but that the wells go dry quickly. Not unlike water rights calculations in the early 20th century, the volume predictions are made during flood stage, not at average flow stage (to use the water analogy). In the end it doesn't matter what the predictions were, it only matters what really happens. When I saw Cramer yesterday hocking the **** out of fracking I suspected something was fishy. I think he has some energy stocks he needs to unload before this revelation hits the masses.

[dmoor82]

I once had a debate with my buddy about the possibility of fracking causing most of the recent earthquakes in Oklahoma and other areas around the country, needless to say the discussion became a shouting match! My buddy works for a certain large oil and gas company headquartered in dt OKC and He has been with them for 20 years or so, and when I brought up the possibility of fracking causing earthquakes, He lost His mind! Towards the end of the fiery debate He called me a left wing nut job Liberal that wants to see the oil and gas companies fail, also He went on to say that bad mouthing His lively hood and what puts food on His children's table was unacceptable! I have had many debates with many people about this and this was the first that turned very quickly! I thought it was quit funny to see someone so heated over a debate!

[dmoor82]

To totally dismiss the possibility or even the likelihood of fracking MAYBE causing or triggering earthquakes is asinine!

[Dubya61]

But are there earthquakes everywhere there's fracking?

[Just the facts]

I once had a debate with my buddy about the possibility of fracking causing most of the recent earthquakes in Oklahoma and other areas around the country, needless to say the discussion became a shouting match! My buddy works for a certain large oil and gas company headquartered in dt OKC and He has been with them for 20 years or so, and when I brought up the possibility of fracking causing earthquakes, He lost His mind! Towards the end of the fiery debate He called me a left wing nut job Liberal that wants to see the oil and gas companies fail, also He went on to say that bad mouthing His lively hood and what puts food on His children's table was unacceptable! I have had many debates with many people about this and this was the first that turned very quickly! I thought it was quit funny to see someone so heated over a debate!

That sounds about right. I get the same response and I am a right-winger.

[Just the facts]

But are there earthquakes everywhere there's fracking?

That is a good question and I am sure there are many variable. Not everyone who drives drunk kills a family of 4 on the way home from the movies either, yet we don't let people drive drunk as a precaution anyhow. I guess in the end it comes down to "Is the risk worth the reward". If fracking does cause earthquakes is getting domestic oil worth it?