Research suggests activity tied to hydraulic fracturing by the oil and gas industry explains the large increases in earthquakes in southern Kansas. The link to the full article is below.
The two parts that got me thinking that I wanted to share were:
“While researchers say the earthquakes are not linked specifically to hydraulic fracturing, wastewater injection — an activity that follows fracturing — may be linked to them. When scientists compared the timeline of seismic activity with the schedule of wastewater injection, they found a strong correlation between the two.
Their data showed an increased in wastewater injection and seismic activity was followed by a decrease in both in 2015. A drop in oil and gas prices, combined with new regulations designed to limit wastewater injections, likely precipitated a downturn in hydraulic fracturing activity, explaining the drop-off in the occurrence of earthquakes.”
So, after reading the article, should the industry be concerned with this trend/correlation?
Earthquakes in southern Kansas linked to oil, gas production
