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Scientists link Colorado, Oklahoma earthquakes to drilling activities

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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.

About Sharon Wilson

Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.

Comments

  1. Alberta Neighbor says

    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!