NBC News: Confirmed: Fracking practices to blame for Ohio earthquakes

[spanone]

Wastewater from the controversial practice of fracking appears to be linked to all the earthquakes in a town in Ohio that had no known past quakes, research now reveals.

The practice of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves injecting water, sand and other materials under high pressures into a well to fracture rock. This opens up fissures that help oil and natural gas flow out more freely. This process generates wastewater that is often pumped underground as well, in order to get rid of it.

A furious debate has erupted over the safety of the practice. Advocates claim fracking is a safe, economical source of clean energy, while critics argue that it can taint drinking water supplies, among other problems.

One of the most profitable areas for fracking lies over the geological formation known as the Marcellus Shale, which reaches deep underground from Ohio and West Virginia northeast into Pennsylvania and southern New York. The Marcellus Shale is rich in natural gas; geologists estimate it may contain up to 489 trillion cubic feet (13.8 trillion cubic meters) of natural gas, more than 440 times the amount New York State uses annually. Many of the rural communities living over the formation face economic challenges and want to attract money from the energy industry.

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/fracking-practices-blame-ohio-earthquakes-8C11073601

[louis-t]

1. "fracture rock"..........

They are CRACKING THE CRUST OF THE EARTH for god's sake. What could possibly go wrong? Jeez!

[spanone]

2. money trumps all....

[roamer65]

3. I need to buy property around the faults.

Beachfront property goes for a premium.

[Iliyah]

4. DUH

[zentrum]

5. Aren't they fracking off the coast..

..of California? Do they frack in Alaska? Washington? These places are earthquake central for America.
If it causes earthquakes in Ohio....it will sink the entire west coast, the North American edge of the ring of fire.

[Motown_Johnny]

8. I don't think you have gas or oil deposits near natural fault lines

or at least not near active ones.


I could be wrong but it would seem that the gas or oil would not be trapped in the earth if it were near an active fault line. It would have escaped long ago.


(not that I am pro fracking.. I'm not)

[Curmudgeoness]

6. I thought that they confirmed this quite a while ago.

Several agencies in Ohio have already released findings that the injection well did cause the earthquakes.

Like any of us in this area didn't already know that. We don't have earthquakes. They started within a few weeks of that well starting to inject fracking fluid. They continued all year until they finally shut it down. We don't have earthquakes again.

Tell me, who needs an expert to tell them what caused them.

[Blue Owl]

7. Can someone please frack right next to Boehner's smoke break spot?