Part of the Series
Gas Rush: Fracking in Depth
Geologists say fracking wastewater disposal wells in central Arkansas caused an outbreak of thousands of minor earthquakes.
The Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission placed a ban on fracking wastewater wells in the area yesterday. A moratorium on well activity had been in place for months as geologists investigated a possible link between fracking activity and the outbreak of more than 1,200 earthquakes that measured lower than 4.7 in magnitude.
Fracking is a common term for hydraulic fracturing, a controversial gas drilling method that involves pumping water and chemicals deep underground to break up rock and free natural gas.
Fracking produces millions of gallons of wastewater, and the gas industry has been experimenting with different ways to dispose of it.
At least three gas companies were injecting fracking wastewater in the area of the earthquake outbreak, including BHP Billiton Petroleum, Clarita Operating LLC and Chesapeake Operating. The companies were injecting fracking wastewater near an active fault.
Steve Horton, an earthquake expert from the University of Memphis, told Truthout that continued fracking activity near the fault could have caused an earthquake strong enough to cause property damage.
At least one resident in the area is suing the gas companies over damage an earthquake caused to his home.
Scott Ausbrooks of the Arkansas Geological Survey said a network of cracks and joints in underground rock formations allowed the fracking fluids to reach the fault and cause earthquakes. The earthquakes began rumbling through the countryside after the injections began, and after the operations stopped, the number of earthquakes dropped by two-thirds.
Ausbrooks pointed out that not all fracking operations cause seismic activity, but drillers should have a good understanding of the geology of an area before drilling.
Join us in defending the truth before it’s too late
The future of journalism is uncertain, and the consequences of losing it are too grave to ignore. To ensure Truthout remains fearless, tough, and 100 percent independent, we need to raise $35,000 in the next 5 days. Every dollar raised goes directly toward the costs of producing news you can trust.
Please give what you can — because by supporting us with a tax-deductible donation, you’re not just preserving a source of news, you’re helping to safeguard what’s left of our democracy.