Fracking Cause Earthquakes Essay
People believe that fracking causes earthquakes. I believe that fracking does not cause earthquakes at all. Due to the research I have found, the articles have changed my opinion. I previously thought fracking caused earthquakes. Let me tell you the facts that could prove fracking does not cause earthquakes.
The main cause of the increase in earthquakes in the central United States is due to the use of wastewater disposal. Wastewater disposal uses a lot more than fracking. When fracking occurs it is in areas where oil and gas have already been taken out. Wastewater disposal happens where rocks have not been disturbed yet. So, the pressure levels rise when wastewater disposal occurs which may be what is causing the earthquakes. Not …show more content…
In Oklahoma, less than 10% of the water injected into wastewater disposal wells is used hydraulic fracturing fluid. Most of the wastewater in Oklahoma is saltwater that comes up along with oil during the extraction process. In contrast, the fluid disposed of near earthquake sequences that occurred in Youngstown, Ohio, and Guy, Arkansas, consisted largely of spent hydraulic fracturing fluid. Induced seismicity can occur at significant distances from injection wells and at different depths.
Seismicity can be induced at distances of 10 miles or more away from the injection point and at significantly greater depths than the injection point. Wells not requiring surface pressure to inject wastewater can still induce earthquakes. Wells where you can pour fluid down the well without added pressure at the wellhead still increase the fluid pressure within the formation and thus can induce earthquakes.
So, in the end there many facts that can possibly prove fracking is not the cause of earthquakes. Mainly because of water disposal being the main cause. Fracking for sure doesn’t help anything, as it causes a lot of pollution and could contaminate people's tap water. It could add to the problem of the rise in earthquakes, but it’s participation to it doesn’t make it a huge difference. Water disposal is the main problem, not hydraulic
The main cause of the increase in earthquakes in the central United States is due to the use of wastewater disposal. Wastewater disposal uses a lot more than fracking. When fracking occurs it is in areas where oil and gas have already been taken out. Wastewater disposal happens where rocks have not been disturbed yet. So, the pressure levels rise when wastewater disposal occurs which may be what is causing the earthquakes. Not …show more content…
In Oklahoma, less than 10% of the water injected into wastewater disposal wells is used hydraulic fracturing fluid. Most of the wastewater in Oklahoma is saltwater that comes up along with oil during the extraction process. In contrast, the fluid disposed of near earthquake sequences that occurred in Youngstown, Ohio, and Guy, Arkansas, consisted largely of spent hydraulic fracturing fluid. Induced seismicity can occur at significant distances from injection wells and at different depths.
Seismicity can be induced at distances of 10 miles or more away from the injection point and at significantly greater depths than the injection point. Wells not requiring surface pressure to inject wastewater can still induce earthquakes. Wells where you can pour fluid down the well without added pressure at the wellhead still increase the fluid pressure within the formation and thus can induce earthquakes.
So, in the end there many facts that can possibly prove fracking is not the cause of earthquakes. Mainly because of water disposal being the main cause. Fracking for sure doesn’t help anything, as it causes a lot of pollution and could contaminate people's tap water. It could add to the problem of the rise in earthquakes, but it’s participation to it doesn’t make it a huge difference. Water disposal is the main problem, not hydraulic