Scientists link Colo., Okla. temblors to drilling activities
Mike Soraghan, E&E reporter
EnergyWire: Monday, December 3, 2012
Earlier this year, USGS scientists released a study saying that a “remarkable increase” in earthquakes in the middle of the country is “almost certainly man-made” and pointed to oil and gas-related activity as a likely culprit. Their findings, though, didn’t mention the magnitude-5.3 earthquake in Colorado and specifically excluded the magnitude-5.6 rupture in Oklahoma.
Use common sense.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Sharon,
Just a Canada update on places you might want to avoid this holiday season.
Investigation of Observed Seismicity in the Horn River Basin [BC, Canada]
By BC Oil and Gas Commission [regulator], August 2012
Conclusion:
“Horn River Basin seismicity events, from 2009 to late 2011, were caused by fluid injection during hydraulic fracturing. All events occurred during or between hydraulic fracturing stage operations.” (and there were 272 “events”)
http://www.ernstversusencana.ca/investigation-of-observed-seismicity-in-the-horn-river-basin
And right outside Calgary Alberta, where they’re fracking up a storm, residents are experiencing earthquakes, rancher’s barns are cracking, people are losing their hair, and cancer ridden cattle are being euthanized.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/09/27/calgary-fracking-meeting.html
Typically, whenever this fallout hits the media, CAPP (Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, they’re kind of like EID, except with smaller pom poms) trots out new “voluntary guidelines” for their members.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2012/11/30/calgary-hydraulic-fracking-oil-cochrane-guidelines.html
If you don’t mind, I’d like to take this opportunity to give a shout out to your USGS, they picked up some Alberta earthquakes our experts appear to have missed, or maybe just forgot to mention. Looks like they’re fracking related. But to be sure, an Alberta university study is going to look at frack quakes, and the companies are only funding half of it. Very exciting. I think someone told them if you only pay half, it’s not considered “frackademia.”
“Eaton said the industry funding will not affect their findings.”
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Alberta+researchers+record+ground+vibrations+look/7519648/story.html
http://www.globallethbridge.com/seismic+event+in+southern+alberta+could+it+be+an+earthquake/6442748761/story.html
Thanks Sharon, take care and happy holidays!
Isn’t it interesting how some of these earthquakes fall through the cracks?