Monday, April 07, 2014

Another rash of earthquakes reported in Oklahoma areas with fracking and disposal wells

Oklahoma continues to experience a rash of earthquakes in areas where hydraulic fracturing is used and injection wells are used to dispose of used fracking fluids. At least six quakes were recorded Friday and Saturday, Carey Gillam reports for Reuters. Earthquakes measuring between 2.5 magnitude and 3.8 magnitude were felt over the weekend in central Oklahoma and around Oklahoma City. 
 

Austin Holland, a seismologist with the Oklahoma Geological Survey, told Gillam, "We have had almost as many magnitude 3 and greater already in 2014 than we did for all of 2013." Since 2009, when the fracking boom hit Oklahoma, the state is second in most earthquakes, trailing only California. A study by the U.S. Geological Survey, Cornell University and Columbia University blames fracking for the increase in quakes. (Read more)

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