News agencies are reporting this week that fracking for natural gas has been halted in the area of Blackpool, England after a second small earthquake was reported by the British Geological Survey. On it's website, the BGS states "The timing of the two events in conjunction with the fluid injection suggests that they may be related." These earthquakes were apparently measured in an area where tremors are rare and ultimately resulted in many pointing the fingers directly at a small natural gas company that had undertaken fracking in the region.
The natural gas boom has been underway in the US for the past 5 years and is now taking shape in Europe with many of the same alarms being raised by British citizens and European environmental groups alike. Earthquake links to fracking is not entirely new and has been claimed here in the US in states such as Arkansas and Texas. However, the oil and gas industry does not believe that fracking, nor the injection of wastewater into natural gas wells, is the cause of these small tremors. The Arkansas Gas Commission is still investigating the matter in Arkansas and recently stated “We see no correlation” between the drilling and fracking and the earthquake activity. AGS director Bekki White said in a telephone interview Wednesday, “As far as whether it is related to injection of fluids, we still have not determined whether it is or whether it is naturally occurring.”
This has not prevented local Arkansas residents from filing class action lawsuits against BHP and Clarita; natural gas companies operating in the region. Beyond the claim that shale fracking has caused small earthquakes, these residents also believe these operations have poisoned water sources and resulted in other forms of pollution. Just last week the Chesapeake Energy Company was fined by the Department of Environmental Protection for similar resident's claims in Pennsylvania, so it remains to be seen what officials find in Arkansas.
Regardless, the possibility of earthquakes adds a whole new dimension to the safety of fracking for natural gas. Since fracking began, complaints have been sounded by various organizations and citizens across the political and environmental spectrum. These concerns seems to be growing and we'll keep an eye on new developments.
Dan DeBaun is the owner and operator of Big Berkey Water Filters. Prior to Berkey, Dan was an asset manager for a major telecommunications company. He graduated from Rutgers with an undergraduate degree in industrial engineering, followed by an MBA in finance from Rutgers as well. Dan enjoys biohacking, exercising, meditation, beach life, and spending time with family and friends.
Yeah, sure, fracking also causes, cancer, sun spots, earth quakes, bad breath, and very low IQs as is indigenous to the nature lovers looking for another asinine cause. I worked for Halliburton and they used a biodegradable plant food like soy, or corn starch mixed with sand. This would be pumped down the well where the high volume and pressure would open up fissures in the gas pockets. The sand kept the fissures open while the gel biodegraded into water. Viola! A high producing gas well with no environmental risk. Now quit the whining.
Master Rod
Baseball132011-06-15 03:44:31
If anyone seriously doubts that fracking is the cause of 'unexplicable' earthquakes in areas not known to have a frequency of earthquakes is either stupid or a fool. Of course they are related! Any first year geology student can tell you that subsitituting a liquid for a gas in the stone substrate will cause shifting and cracking - that's the whole purpose of fracking! The wastewater not only forces out the gases, but also fractures the rock layers to release more gas into the area being vented. It is unfortunate that our nation's desire for fuels is leading to the poisoning of our precious water resources.
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Yeah, sure, fracking also causes, cancer, sun spots, earth quakes, bad breath, and very low IQs as is indigenous to the nature lovers looking for another asinine cause. I worked for Halliburton and they used a biodegradable plant food like soy, or corn starch mixed with sand. This would be pumped down the well where the high volume and pressure would open up fissures in the gas pockets. The sand kept the fissures open while the gel biodegraded into water. Viola! A high producing gas well with no environmental risk. Now quit the whining.
Master Rod
If anyone seriously doubts that fracking is the cause of 'unexplicable' earthquakes in areas not known to have a frequency of earthquakes is either stupid or a fool. Of course they are related! Any first year geology student can tell you that subsitituting a liquid for a gas in the stone substrate will cause shifting and cracking - that's the whole purpose of fracking! The wastewater not only forces out the gases, but also fractures the rock layers to release more gas into the area being vented. It is unfortunate that our nation's desire for fuels is leading to the poisoning of our precious water resources.