USGS study links fracking wastewater injection with surge in Raton Basin earthquakes

Summit County Voice ^ | September 27, 2014 | Bob Berwyn

[GonzoII]

Scientists say it’s almost certain that massive injections of waste water caused recent quakes in the Raton Basin, including a 5.3 tremor in 2011

FRISCO — A surge in earthquakes in southern Colorado and New Mexico has almost certainly been caused by the injection of fracking wastewater deep into the ground, U.S. Geological Survey scientists reported last week.

The study details several lines of evidence directly linking the injection wells to the seismicity. The timing and location of the quakes is clearly linked with the the documented pattern of injected wastewater.

Detailed investigations of two seismic sequences (2001 and 2011) places them in proximity to high-volume, high-injection-rate wells, and both sequences occurred after a nearby increase in the rate of injection. A comparison between seismicity and wastewater injection in Colorado and New Mexico reveals similar patterns, suggesting seismicity is initiated shortly after an increase in injection rates.

For example, two injection wells near the epicenter of a 2011 5.3 earthquake had about 5 million cubic meters of wastewater injected just before the quake — more than seven times the amount injected at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal well that caused damaging earthquakes near Denver, Colorado, in the 1960s. The August 2011 M 5.3 event is the second-largest earthquake to date for which there is clear evidence that the earthquake sequence was induced by fluid injection.

The study looked at the Raton Basin, which stretches from southern Colorado into northern New Mexico. The basin was seismically quiet until shortly after major fluid injection began in 1999. Since 2001, there have been 16 quakes magnitude 3.8 or greater (including M 5.0 and 5.3), compared to only one (M 4.0) the previous 30 years. The increase in earthquakes is limited to the area of industrial activity and within 5 kilometers of wastewater injection wells.

[GonzoII]

Why am I doubtful?

[GonzoII]

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[Olog-hai]

About as believable as “global warming”. Not like the extant fault lines are to blame, eh?

[Smokin' Joe]

This isn't fracking, this is from disposal wells injecting production water. Yes, this has been shown to cause small earthquakes in the immediate vicinity of the injection wells in some locations.

Why 'fracking' was used is beyond me (/s), because there is some water produced with almost all oil and most gas. that production water is commonly disposed of in injection wells, whether the well was hydraulically fractured or not, and the amount of produced water will eventually exceed multiples of the volume of frac fluid.

[Jim Robinson]

The government has no credibility whatsoever.

[SierraWasp]

This is such crappola!!!

The earth cannot even feel these mosquito bites!!!

They stopped the building of a major multi-purpose hydro-electric-flood control dam and reservoir at Auburn, CA when it was 2/3rds completed 35 years ago on the basis of "reservoir induced seismicity!"

All this is a huge stinking pant-load by the anti-everything economically progressive crowd… even the anti-American progress crowd!!!

[House Atreides]

“The government has no credibility whatsoever.”
***************************************************************************************
The federal civilian workforce has long since ceased being populated with “public servants”. It is now largely composed of agendanistas trying to promote their political beliefs, to hobble the American economy and to be “overlords” to the American citizenry.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Hmmmm. Might have reduced the chances of a bigger quake in the future.

[gleeaikin]

Of course extant fault lines are involved, but they are probably being lubricated past their sticking points with the extra water/oil being undergrounded. Perhaps it is a good thing and can prevent very large quakes from occurring. Might even have a future use to prevent very large quakes from happening.

[SpaceBar]

An earthquake isn’t an earthquake isn’t an earthquake. While it is true that subsidence due to withdrawing wells and stresses from injection wells can cause minor seismic activity, we’re talking orders of magnitude smaller than plate subduction or midoceanic transform fault activity. The sediments that host wells are usually mechanically weak and dissipate energy quickly and relatively benignly. Usually it’s just a nuisance to local residents. Problems associated with it can be cracking foundations and other structural problems to buildings, sewers etc.

[Olog-hai]

If volcanic activity starts there again, anything caused by humans is really no match. Plenty of igneous formations around the basin.

[marron]

Its pathetic. You can’t believe anything coming out of this regime. Nothing. There isn’t anything that isn’t politicized.

And precious few people who have served in this government have their integrity intact. Just having held a government job during O’s time in office calls your honor into question.

[Spitzensparkin1]

Yes, I agree, waste water has been and continues to be injected into deep wells for “disposal” which means it is re-injected back into the deep formations from which it came originally via “disposal” wells. This has nothing to do with any fracking whatsoever. Produced water comes from ALL producing wells to some degree and is a natural byproduct of natural gas extraction. Produced water is now considered a hazardous material and therefore must be disposed of this way. They have no other option according to EPA regulations. They are forced to put it back where it came from.

SS1

[BwanaNdege]

Hmmmm. Might have reduced the chances of a bigger quake in the future.

NO! Don't you know that Plate Tectonics are CAUSED by fracking! Once those evil oil companies got used to pushing people around, it was only a small step to their pushing continents around, too!

/S

[Spitzensparkin1]

P.S., I live in Northern New Mexico and have been professionally involved in the oil and gas exploration and production industry since about 1973 and my son works in Southern Colo. for THE MAJOR gas producer there. We are all concerned about our environment here and work diligently every day to assure we meet all regulations and most importantly, we go above and beyond them because we want to assure that we leave our environ in good condition for our children and grandchildren while meeting the needs of all those who are dependent on our natural resources for heating and fuel.

Fracking is our friend.

SS1

[Captain7seas]

“to promote their political beliefs, to hobble the American economy and to be “overlords” to the American citizenry”.

you mean like this? : http://blogs.worldwatch.org/sustainableprosperity/resources/clubfordegrowth/

[Owen]

No it’s a legitimate fracking relevant thing because of the sheer number of wells drilled to frack, because they die so fast. More wells means much more water than from one conventional 10,000 bpd flowing well. Its water cut may be south of 50% in early days. Fracked wells flow big salt water immediately, and the fracking substance is in it too, as well as some radioactive material.

As an FYI, the other direction is interesting. You have to flush a fracked well with fresh water periodically to clean out salt encrustation. It’s a big deal in NoDak.

But the quakes are real, they are from production water injection and there is a lot of it because fracked wells must be so numerous. Minor quakes that just “crack a foundation” . . . go get some quotes on what it will cost you to repair a cracked foundation on your house and see if you want this stuff ignored.

[AZLiberty]

After the next big one in California, they should start injecting water immediately so that stresses are relieved over time through smaller earthquakes rather than as one super quake.

[Rockingham]

Earthquakes attributable to deep well injection of fracking waste water are a major public issue in areas of Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma. Greater regulation is inevitable even in those oil industry friendly states.

[DH]

I’m perfectly sure that this story is true. After all, it’s from the government...and they surely would not lie to us in the name of environmental extremism would they?

/Sarc