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USGS Study Ties Oil, and Gas Production to Midweat Quakes

Daily Jeffersonian / AP -- NEW YORK (AP) -- Oil and gas production may explain a sharp increase in small earthquakes in the nation's midsection, a new study from the U.S. Geological Survey suggests.

The rate has jumped six-fold from the late 20th century through last year, the team reports, and the changes are "almost certainly man-made."

Outside experts were split in their opinions about the report, which is not yet published but is due to be presented at a meeting later this month.

The study said a relatively mild increase starting in 2001 comes from increased quake activity in a methane production area along the state line between Colorado and New Mexico. The increase began about the time that methane production began there, so there's a "clear possibility" of a link, says lead author William Ellsworth o

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Submitted Apr 07, 2012 By: Joeski1

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Eliano Champion Author Baltimore Posts:1,412 Points:388,200 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 8, 2012 10:34:07 PM Ignore Eliano Report Abuse ok
FPLREP Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,401 Points:2,475,810 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Apr 8, 2012 5:38:10 AM Ignore FPLREP Report Abuse "may explain a sharp increase " the key word here is MAY. Even the researchers know better than state that it is so. There has been an uptick in earthquakes in areas that are not using fracking.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,164 Points:779,850 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 10:13:12 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse I guess NHL missed this "Austin Holland, the Oklahoma state seismologist, said the new work presents an "interesting hypothesis" but that the increase in earthquake rates could simply be the result of natural processes. Holland said clusters of quakes can occur naturally, and that scientists do not yet fully understand the natural cycles of seismic activity in the central United States. Comprehensive earthquake records for the region go back only a few decades, he said, while natural cycles stretch for tens of thousands of years. So too little is known to rule out natural processes for causing the increase, he said." And this "There has been concern about potential earthquakes from a smaller-scale injection of fluids during a process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which is used to recover gas. But Ellsworth said Friday he is confident that fracking is not responsible for the earthquake trends his study found, based on prior studies." No surprise that went over NHL's head.
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,294 Points:1,649,905 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 9:09:20 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse The Big Oil supporters and stockholders are quite obvious here. Big Oil especially loves this bunch! The API plans to award them as Honorary Members for their selfish servitude to Big Oil.
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,294 Points:1,649,905 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 9:03:18 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse No surprise to those that have experience similar "man-made quakes" in Oklohoma and Arkansas. Injecting that much junk under high pressure to create fractures is bound to induce quakes.
PimpinFoDaGaz Sophomore Author Massachusetts Posts:235 Points:40,725 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 7:58:54 PM Ignore PimpinFoDaGaz Report Abuse Dr., I'd say they're split down the middle.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,164 Points:779,850 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 12:33:35 PM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse md11capt opines "Ignorant Right Wingers is redundant...or is it Right Whiners?" ======================= LMAO, didn't know earthquakes were right or left leaning!
Rehorsehay All-Star Author California Posts:871 Points:45,925 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 11:33:15 AM Ignore Rehorsehay Report Abuse I have often wonder about this. I am no scientist. But remember studying Displacement theory in science. If you take air or liquid out of a ballon it will collapse. Hope this is not the case?
TableTalk Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,187 Points:567,535 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 11:09:48 AM Ignore TableTalk Report Abuse Some studies say it does. Some doesn't. You don't know who to believe anymore. And I'll take a bunch of little quakes over a big one anytime. [Edited by: TableTalk at 4/7/2012 2:11:13 PM EST]
leraar2 Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:3,904 Points:815,380 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 9:22:38 AM Ignore leraar2 Report Abuse small quakes are good: they do not allow tension to build up (possibly resulting in one large quake, otherwise).
md11capt Champion Author Denver Posts:3,558 Points:729,930 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 9:17:44 AM Ignore md11capt Report Abuse Ignorant Right Wingers is redundant...or is it Right Whiners?
Chem60 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:4,024 Points:840,750 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 9:10:23 AM Ignore Chem60 Report Abuse There will be those that will never be convinced, even with tons f evidence. The Gulf of Mexico, which ought to be seismically stable has minor quakes thanks to the drilling there.
drpepperTX Champion Author Texas Posts:9,164 Points:779,850 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 8:53:01 AM Ignore drpepperTX Report Abuse "Outside experts were split in their opinions about the report, which is not yet published but is due to be presented at a meeting later this month."
johntxx Champion Author Texas Posts:2,943 Points:644,020 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 8:39:56 AM Ignore johntxx Report Abuse Pretty well sums it up: "Austin Holland, the Oklahoma state seismologist, said the new work presents an "interesting hypothesis" but that the increase in earthquake rates could simply be the result of natural processes."
southrob Champion Author Tucson Posts:3,736 Points:714,900 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 8:16:16 AM Ignore southrob Report Abuse ahhh no
dgerst Champion Author South Carolina Posts:2,801 Points:578,525 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 8:12:49 AM Ignore dgerst Report Abuse we had better put the kind of regulations in place that will keep our citizens safe from earthquakes
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:35,351 Points:2,399,070 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 7:24:04 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse worthless guessing at best
batloverNM Champion Author Albuquerque Posts:3,947 Points:1,394,825 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 7:02:56 AM Ignore batloverNM Report Abuse Another article that the ignorant right wingers who think they know everything will call BS.
playtimeCLE Champion Author Cleveland Posts:8,700 Points:1,571,995 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 6:59:32 AM Ignore playtimeCLE Report Abuse "scientists do not yet fully understand the natural cycles of seismic activity" This is probably the most true statement in the whole article.
db60 All-Star Author Indiana Posts:982 Points:211,255 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 6:55:01 AM Ignore db60 Report Abuse AH-HA!
YaBassa Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,571 Points:544,800 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 6:23:03 AM Ignore YaBassa Report Abuse While the findings are speculative, the coincidences need additional study to satisfy those who lead "faith based" lives while disavowing scientific evidence.
Buckeyee Champion Author Maine Posts:4,773 Points:925,075 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 6:13:50 AM Ignore Buckeyee Report Abuse Not enough information to make a valid report.
cdrrod Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:4,291 Points:810,500 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:59:06 AM Ignore cdrrod Report Abuse Seems like methane gas not only smells, but ruins everything....
majormarket All-Star Author Houston Posts:861 Points:809,400 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:53:05 AM Ignore majormarket Report Abuse While not definitive, the increased production coincides with an uptick in quakes. Again, there's the possibility of a logical fallacy but then who knows?
Sisu58 Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,381 Points:368,740 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:37:27 AM Ignore Sisu58 Report Abuse Mother Nature is not happy.
grandpadon28110 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:4,856 Points:1,170,010 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:37:19 AM Ignore grandpadon28110 Report Abuse Still an opinion.
bullet226 Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,716 Points:534,915 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:34:54 AM Ignore bullet226 Report Abuse Very interesting
doeslayersr Champion Author Illinois Posts:9,303 Points:899,705 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:28:12 AM Ignore doeslayersr Report Abuse Humblepie - astute comment. More junk science by consensus. I have no idea where the Midweat is. Must be someplace in India. [Edited by: doeslayersr at 4/7/2012 8:28:58 AM EST]
mastermariner Champion Author Texas Posts:4,844 Points:521,425 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:27:22 AM Ignore mastermariner Report Abuse As stated "clear possibility"
Joeski1 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:10,210 Points:1,769,535 Joined:Dec 2004	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:14:36 AM Ignore Joeski1 Report Abuse This quote from another article: Over the expected lifetime of fracking each well, companies may use as many as nine million gallons of water and 100,000 gallons of chemicals and radioactive isotopes within a four to six week period. The additives “are used to prevent pipe corrosion, kill bacteria, and assist in forcing the water and sand down-hole to fracture the targeted formation,” explains Thomas J. Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research. However, about 650 of the 750 chemicals used in fracking operations are known carcinogens, according to a report filed with the U.S. House of Representatives in April 2011. Fluids used in fracking include those that are “potentially hazardous,” including volatile organic compounds, according to Christopher Portier, director of the National Center for Environmental Health, a part of the federal Centers for Disease Control. In an email to the Associated Press in January 2012, Portier noted that waste water, in addition to bring up several elements, may be radioactive.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:35,351 Points:2,399,070 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Apr 7, 2012 5:14:04 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse more bovine excrement