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Is Fracking Causing the Oklahoma Earthquakes?

Warwulf

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Wasn't sure if this is a conspiracy or not, but fracking has already caused serious problems in other states.


Is Fracking Causing the Oklahoma Earthquakes?


Posted 6 hours ago by Gary DeMar

I saw a few posts on Facebook about the unusual number of earthquakes taking place in Oklahoma. After researching Oklahoma earthquakes online, I found that there are hundreds of recorded earthquakes which are being attributed to the oil and gas industry and “hydraulic fracturing” (fracking).

Most of the earthquakes are taking place in the same region and are unnoticeable except by seismological detection devices. Even so, it's important to find out why.




If fracking is the culprit in Oklahoma, then why are “regions that are hotbeds of fracking activity, such as North Dakota,” not “experiencing Oklahoma’s seismic spike”?

Could it be that fracking is not the culprit?

Post hoc, ergo propter hoc. “After this, therefore because of this.” Just because an event or series of events occur after another event or series of events does not mean the one is the cause of the other.
◾The rooster crows before sunrise, therefore the crowing rooster causes the sun to rise.
◾A baseball player wears his “lucky socks” for every game because the first time he wore them he got three hits.
◾If the president hadn’t told the “funny hat” joke, he wouldn’t have lost Texas in the election.

The following is from an episode of the The West Wing ("Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc"):



Fracking

In effect, there could be another cause for what Oklahoma is experiencing, and it may have little to do with fracking as the following article excerpt points out:

“One researcher, a Tulsa geologist, is now suggesting something else may be at work -- the weather and aquifers.




“‘Where these quakes have occurred,’ explained Jean Antonides, ‘they all have occurred around these aquifers.’

“Aquifers are essentially underground reservoirs -- a body of permeable rock, through which water can pass easily. There are many in Oklahoma, and the amount of water they contain can be affected by both weather and human activity.

“Antonides says his research shows that aquifers near the location of certain earthquakes had been depleted, through both drought and increased human demand, and then suddenly refilled, through intense and heavy rains.

“‘When you have rainfall amounts of six inches over a few day period,’ Antonides pointed out, ‘these rainfalls cover a thousand square miles -- that's a lot of weight.’

“That much new weight – potentially trillions of tons -- if it's along or across a fault, can be enough to cause an earthquake.

“‘If you change the weight, relative near surface, across that fault -- either reducing the weight on one side, loading up the other side or vice versa,’ Antonides explained, ‘that could be the trigger point.’

“Antonides' paper lays out evidence that this hydrologic loading could have triggered, not only the Prague earthquake, but last April's 4.3 magnitude quake in Luther, a 5.8 M quake in Virginia in 2011, and others. University of Oklahoma research seismologist Austin Holland says he may be right.”



At this point, no one really knows. The knee-jerk reaction is to blame it on the oil and gas industry. “‘The key is putting everything out there, and looking at all the possibilities,’ Antonides insisted.”

Read more at Is Fracking Causing the Oklahoma Earthquakes?
 
I think the salient point is not whether fracking caused the earthquakes (it probably did) but that the earthquakes are so small that people can't detect them. There is no reason to think fracking would cause bad earthqualkes. It is just too small an issue for the planet.
 
If fracking is the culprit in Oklahoma, then why are “regions that are hotbeds of fracking activity, such as North Dakota,” not “experiencing Oklahoma’s seismic spike”? Could it be that fracking is not the culprit?
It could. But different regions have different geological structures. It's entirely plausible that fracking can have no effect on seismic activity in one region, while influencing another.

Jumping to conclusions in this matter is not advisable. That includes jumping to the conclusion that "it can't possibly be caused by fracking!"
 
I haven't a fracking clue.
 
It could. But different regions have different geological structures. It's entirely plausible that fracking can have no effect on seismic activity in one region, while influencing another.

Jumping to conclusions in this matter is not advisable. That includes jumping to the conclusion that "it can't possibly be caused by fracking!"

Considering the technique of fracking has been around for at least 65 years, I suggest there has been quite a bit of jumping to conclusions going on in the past few years.
 
Without a doubt yes.
 
I once thought so, but not anymore.

A geologist friend of mine - who despises fracking by the way on other principle - told me that would be like knocking over an elephant with a feather. He made a strong case that fracking isn't invasive enough to cause a major tectonic shift of any kind.
 
Is Fracking Causing the Oklahoma Earthquakes?

Without a doubt, yes. Apparently, from what I understand, it has to do with the way they inject the toxic waste back into the ground that causes the geological disruptions. But whether it is that or the intended seismic workings of their billions of gallons of pressurized water, or the gap left behind from that which they drill, it is definitely the fracking. I wonder how T. Boone Pickens feels about all of this. And hey, where's all the water going? Aren't people worried about a drought all over the place, and yet, nobody can figure out where all of the water is going?
 
I once thought so, but not anymore.

A geologist friend of mine - who despises fracking by the way on other principle - told me that would be like knocking over an elephant with a feather. He made a strong case that fracking isn't invasive enough to cause a major tectonic shift of any kind.

A geologist that I know explained it to me that what they do, before fracking is that they drill straight down say 5000 meters, where aquifers are at the deepest 1500 m (I'm sure I'm totally screwing up the numbers), and the charges they use will blow 20 m, 10 up and 10 down (or more likely 15 up and 5 down according to his estimation), and that allows the horizontal drilling towards the well.

Point is, with 3500 meters of rock separating the charge from any potential aquifer, it would be an incredible exception that a fracture in the rock would extend that far out.

What he said the problem is with all the charges against fracking is that many aquifers are tainted with methane deposits, heavy metals, or any other things that were there before fracking... and in every case either there was no testing done beforehand to accurately compare a before and after.
 
I haven't a fracking clue.

That's old school.

Anyways, I'd like more evidence before judging whether fracking can or cannot cause any tiny earthquakes that don't matter, never mind anything bigger if that's where this is heading.
 
Hydraulic fracturing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not the best source but fracking doesn't sound like anything that would cause earthquakes, it's even natural in some instances, as for hydraulic fracturing it makes tiny tiny fractures 1 mm wide.

People make it sound like fracking is taking a laser beam and smashing the **** out of a rock when in reality... (1mm wide, cmon guys).
 
I think the salient point is not whether fracking caused the earthquakes (it probably did) but that the earthquakes are so small that people can't detect them. There is no reason to think fracking would cause bad earthqualkes. It is just too small an issue for the planet.

Whether or not an earthquake can be considered "bad" is relative to where you are. A fracking waste water injection well was responsible for about a dozen earthquakes in Youngstown, Ohio in 2011 which caused minor damage to the town. Keep in mind that even a series of minor quakes can be problematic because unlike California none of the buildings or infrastructure in Ohio are designed or constructed with earthquakes in mind. Think back to the 2011 5.8 magnitude earthquake to illustrate this point. Skyscrapers were swaying and downtown Columbus was evacuated because of an earthquake with an epicenter over 440 miles away. People in California on the other hand probably wouldn't even get out of bed for a 5.8 at that distance.
 
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I would lean towards no.
 
Did I explain to you that my City, County, and State monitor and charge me for my water usage? And because of the "drought" and limited water supply, that figure rises substantially?

Millions of gallons of water used by fracking in the oil industry is just OK with many people? What other externality costs in the market are we to incur from fracking? Earthquakes in Oklahoma? And where else? Are you kidding me?
 
A geologist that I know explained it to me that what they do, before fracking is that they drill straight down say 5000 meters, where aquifers are at the deepest 1500 m (I'm sure I'm totally screwing up the numbers), and the charges they use will blow 20 m, 10 up and 10 down (or more likely 15 up and 5 down according to his estimation), and that allows the horizontal drilling towards the well.

Point is, with 3500 meters of rock separating the charge from any potential aquifer, it would be an incredible exception that a fracture in the rock would extend that far out.

What he said the problem is with all the charges against fracking is that many aquifers are tainted with methane deposits, heavy metals, or any other things that were there before fracking... and in every case either there was no testing done beforehand to accurately compare a before and after.

Your numbers are close, but hydraulic fracturing involve the use of explosive charges.

This notion is some serious fear mongering.
 
Did I explain to you that my City, County, and State monitor and charge me for my water usage? And because of the "drought" and limited water supply, that figure rises substantially?

Millions of gallons of water used by fracking in the oil industry is just OK with many people? What other externality costs in the market are we to incur from fracking? Earthquakes in Oklahoma? And where else? Are you kidding me?

Fracking caused the drought, now?

Are you aware that most of the water used in fracking is recycled?
 
Hydraulic fracturing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not the best source but fracking doesn't sound like anything that would cause earthquakes, it's even natural in some instances, as for hydraulic fracturing it makes tiny tiny fractures 1 mm wide.

People make it sound like fracking is taking a laser beam and smashing the **** out of a rock when in reality... (1mm wide, cmon guys).

It is not the entry into the ground that is believed to cause the tremors, it is the injecting of fracking waste water under pressure deep into the ground for storage that is believed to cause the shaking.
 
Wasn't sure if this is a conspiracy or not, but fracking has already caused serious problems in other states.


Is Fracking Causing the Oklahoma Earthquakes?

I think it might be.Earth quakes in Oklahoma never seemed to be an issue.It was usually tornadoes and the occasional flooding.There might be consequences for pumping millions of gallons of liquid into the earth or it be as another poster stated a feather trying to knock down an elephant.I do not know who trust regarding the issue because the pro-fracking side is going to swear up and down that it doesn't cause earth quakes and if it does then its small earth quakes.While the anti-fracking side will swear up and down that it does cause earth quakes even though there might be a past history of earthquakes in Oklahoma. .
 
Fracking caused the drought, now?

Are you aware that most of the water used in fracking is recycled?

Recycled from what? That doesn't account for the millions of gallons of water used. What, are you a pro-fracker? Explain to me, what happens after the intended seismic-causing "drilling" that fracking does, with the waste they put back into the ground? And mind you, this happens everywhere and on a grand scale. Come close to me, and we will see what seismic eruptions happen.

Millions of gallons of water.
 
Recycled from what? That doesn't account for the millions of gallons of water used. What, are you a pro-fracker? Explain to me, what happens after the intended seismic-causing "drilling" that fracking does, with the waste they put back into the ground? And mind you, this happens everywhere and on a grand scale. Come close to me, and we will see what seismic eruptions happen.

Millions of gallons of water.

I see, now. You obviously have zero knowledge about what hydraulic fracturing is. So, before you threaten to whip my ass, I suggesr you read a book on the subject.
 
Fracking caused the drought, now?

Are you aware that most of the water used in fracking is recycled?

Some. For fracking. Surface water in Texas is scarce and using it for fracking is competing with municipal uses.

Companies are racing to find ways to recycle the water used in hydraulic fracturing, chasing an emerging market that could be worth billions of dollars.

From energy industry giants Halliburton Corp. to smaller outfits such as Ecologix Environmental Systems LLC, companies are pursuing technologies to reuse the "frack water" that comes out of wells after hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking"—the process of using highly pressured water and chemicals to coax oil and gas out of shale-rock formations.


While the recycled water can't currently be cleaned up enough for drinking or growing crops, it can be cleaned of chemicals and rock debris and reused to frack additional wells, which could sharply cut the costs that energy companies face securing and disposing of water.

Some companies are finding it is still cheaper in many parts of the U.S. to inject the wastewater deep underground instead of cleaning it, which has slowed adoption of recycling technology. But experts say that is likely to change as fracking grows.

Most wells in the Eagle Ford shale area in Texas will be tapped out in 20 years according to the industry. No one is going to invest millions on cleaning up technologies for fracking water when they can just inject it into the ground and be done.

Wait...I guess you are right. Evaporation pits is recycling.
 
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I see, now. You obviously have zero knowledge about what hydraulic fracturing is. So, before you threaten to whip my ass, I suggesr you read a book on the subject.

You don't have to understand hydraulic fracturing to whip ass and reading books doesn't help either. ;)
 
Some. For fracking. Surface water in Texas is scarce and using it for fracking is competing with municipal uses.



Most wells in the Eagle Ford shale area in Texas will be tapped out in 20 years according to the industry. No one is going to invest millions on cleaning up technologies for fracking water when they can just inject it into the ground and be done.

I drilled commercial water wells in Irion, Reagan and Crockett counties. It's illegal to produce a commercial in the public water zone, which is the top water zone. We would set steel casing--9 5/8"--from the surface, past the water zone and then drill into the lower zones. The lower zones aren't fit for human consumption, anyway.

In Loving County, we drilled into the Santa Rosa acquifer, which is straight salt water. Its not as apocolyptic as you make out.
 
I see, now. You obviously have zero knowledge about what hydraulic fracturing is. So, before you threaten to whip my ass, I suggesr you read a book on the subject.

Come closer. I can't hear you from there.

Seriously though, I do know what I speak of and have friends in geological engineering. They all know what's up. It is you who is uninformed.

Millions of gallons of water.
 
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