Texas will not consider man-made earthquakes in any overhaul of drilling and fracking rules despite the fact that the National Academy of Sciences found “earthquakes associated with drilling can pose a risk to public health and safety.”
EARTHQUAKES:
States deciding not to look at seismic risks of drilling
Mike Soraghan, E&E reporter
EnergyWire: Monday, March 25, 2013
Nine months after a National Academy of Sciences panel said oil and gas regulators should take steps to prevent man-made earthquakes, officials in key states are ignoring quake potential as they rewrite their drilling rules.
These earthquakes are called “micro quakes” by some who say they cause no “serious” damage. Homeowners who experience foundation damage would differ.
Texas has had some of the best-documented seismic activity around brine wells. Researchers have linked injection to earthquakes in the Haynesville Shale in east Texas and the Barnett Shale in the Dallas area (EnergyWire, Aug. 7, 2012). Chesapeake Energy Corp. shut down two wells linked to quakes near the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.
The Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas production, is doing a large-scale revision of its rules without looking at man-made earthquakes.
Texas wants science based decisions when it comes to fracking science hidden behind non-disclosure agreements. When it comes to fracking science that is public…not so much.
UPDATE: Geologists have finally decided that the big quake in Oklahoma was caused by injection.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
EEnews also released a smaller story along with this about possible induced seismic activity in Arkansas due to injection wells.
A few years back we were having dozens of tremors a day and that activity was traced to injection wells.
The state did indeed stop the injections and establish a UIC moratorium area however officials stopped JUST SHORT of saying the the injections were the problem, even though seismic activity practically ceased as quickly as the injections.
The new swarm is just north and outside the UIC moratorium area and as usual officials are hedging their bets and doing all they can to protect their sacred cow.
I believe that produced water injection is the messiest problem with oil and gas production. Here’s an article from scientific america about earthquakes in Oklahoma linked to produced water injection. I think this will be a bigger problem. Especially in the Barnett where the wells are getting older.
http://news.yahoo.com/oil-addiction-not-fracking-caused-2011-oklahoma-earthquakes-172400184.html
I remember that earthquake well, I was in my bedroom in Texas when it hit. The bed shook, the cats went nuts, windows rattled, my headboard even bumped against the wall. My daughter was in her bed, we both ran to the living room, terrified. We had no idea what had happened, but thought it was some explosion from the 12 tanks and compressor behind our back yard. Should have known it was still gas related. My foundation/brick/tile is already cracked from two rounds of fracking ….. so no worries there, but it was very scary anyway.
Living in Gasland: good times!
Our homeowners insurance is up for renewal and we are going to get earthquake coverage. Let me tell you when the home insurance companies have to start paying for cracked foundations you will see lobbyist gone wild in Austin. Maybe there will be an industry, we really don’t like, on our side?
I think I know that guy.
Looks familiar. Nice suit.