This article confuses two wholly separate activities which to me indicates that not enough research went into the writing. The headline says Fracking, but the article addresses injection.
Fracking is opening the formation to allow the oil or gas to be released from the formation that holds it tightly. Fracking has been going on harmlessly since 1947. With the discovery of more advanced techniques to keep shale formations from swelling and closing off, along with the relative shallowness of the shale production, yes, this coincides on a time line with these earthquakes, but no causal relationship has yet to be shown. That is the Sierra Club’s uphill battle.
Disposal, or injection wells, however, are either new wells or old, played-out oil or gas wells used to dispose of the water and mud used in drilling new wells, and in modern times is probably also used for disposing of fracking fluids, but into formations far below fresh water strata. Could the companies be applying too much pressure to the formation? Possibly. Could that be producing the earthquakes? Possibly. Possibly not. Again, no causal relationship has yet to be shown, and this is again the Sierra Club challenge to prove that relationship.
As to the reporting of this lawsuit, these activities are separate and distinct, and throwing them together haphazardly does not help the public understand the issues. Might it be shown that these both cause earthquakes? That’s a stretch, and far down the road.
I will be interested to see the outcome of this case. To my knowledge there has been no causal link to either activity despite studies by some of our major universities’ departments of engineering, geology, environmental science, etc.
Failure to keep an article accurate is what leads to confusion of the issues, overstatement, and political propaganda. I know we can do better.
It’s not the fault of fracking anyway. If we ever get any clear scientific proof, it will say that fracking waste disposal may be the cause of the quakes, but certainly most people don’t believe these scientists who are just trying to get money. Otherwise the process of fracking has nothing whatsoever to do with earthquakes.
We can keep fracking safely forever and ever and continue creating good paying jobs that keep our country from buying foreign oil, especially russian oil. Wind and solar energy can never provide these jobs, and we mustn’t use wind energy because wind is a finite resource and we can’t afford to use it up. The world might come to an end. Besides that, if we depend on wind and solar energy for jobs, russian terrorists will just come and destroy all our wind and solar capacity so that we have to keep buying oil from them. Some people say that wind electricity is cheaper than natural gas, but they are communist dupes.
It’s not the fault of fracking…and then you say we are still waiting on scientific proof. There is actually a lot of scientific proof that it is due to fracking and injection. There is “debate” the same way there is debate about climate change, namely the oil companies pay people to lie.
“Besides that, if we depend on wind and solar energy for jobs, russian terrorists will just come and destroy all our wind and solar capacity so that we have to keep buying oil from them.”
That is literally retarded. So, you fear that Russians will come and destroy resources that are spread throughout the entire country easier than they can destroy things that are centralized? Oil is in a few places, with massive storage terminals that distribute throughout regions. It is much easier to destroy that and harm a whole area of the US than to do that to thousands of wind and solar terminals.
Your whole argument is idiotic. You should just say you prefer oil no matter the consequences, at least that would make sense.
Fracking never created these earthquakes. Faults have been in the earth for centuries, and Oklahoma has had at least 3 earthquakes every year in the history of the world. The fact that they had 1000 last year is simply a statistical aberration. This year, there won’t be so many
You are great, Herman. I absolutely couldn’t agree with you more. Want to get together later and watch Fox News? I’ll bring my own spit cup and artificial Obama-rage.
Of course, because you are stupid too. You are completely delusional, saying this is Obama’s fault, as usual. Get a grip on reality. I cannot wait for your terrible generation to just be gone so the US can become an advanced society again.
First, you underestimate the number of earthquakes by about 5X (or should I say you copied and pasted from a bad source), unless you are talking about earthquakes above 3.5, which is entirely different and should be stated.
You are 100% wrong saying it is natural. As for the idea that they will slow down this year, which you pulled out of your ass or off a Fox News type site, you are 100% wrong, 0% right. There have already been over 320 earthquakes over 4.2, which are pretty big. They are on pace for about 2300 earthquakes of this magnitude, which is probably a “statistical aberration”.
This article confuses two wholly separate activities which to me indicates that not enough research went into the writing. The headline says Fracking, but the article addresses injection.
Fracking is opening the formation to allow the oil or gas to be released from the formation that holds it tightly. Fracking has been going on harmlessly since 1947. With the discovery of more advanced techniques to keep shale formations from swelling and closing off, along with the relative shallowness of the shale production, yes, this coincides on a time line with these earthquakes, but no causal relationship has yet to be shown. That is the Sierra Club’s uphill battle.
Disposal, or injection wells, however, are either new wells or old, played-out oil or gas wells used to dispose of the water and mud used in drilling new wells, and in modern times is probably also used for disposing of fracking fluids, but into formations far below fresh water strata. Could the companies be applying too much pressure to the formation? Possibly. Could that be producing the earthquakes? Possibly. Possibly not. Again, no causal relationship has yet to be shown, and this is again the Sierra Club challenge to prove that relationship.
As to the reporting of this lawsuit, these activities are separate and distinct, and throwing them together haphazardly does not help the public understand the issues. Might it be shown that these both cause earthquakes? That’s a stretch, and far down the road.
I will be interested to see the outcome of this case. To my knowledge there has been no causal link to either activity despite studies by some of our major universities’ departments of engineering, geology, environmental science, etc.
Failure to keep an article accurate is what leads to confusion of the issues, overstatement, and political propaganda. I know we can do better.
It’s not the fault of fracking anyway. If we ever get any clear scientific proof, it will say that fracking waste disposal may be the cause of the quakes, but certainly most people don’t believe these scientists who are just trying to get money. Otherwise the process of fracking has nothing whatsoever to do with earthquakes.
We can keep fracking safely forever and ever and continue creating good paying jobs that keep our country from buying foreign oil, especially russian oil. Wind and solar energy can never provide these jobs, and we mustn’t use wind energy because wind is a finite resource and we can’t afford to use it up. The world might come to an end. Besides that, if we depend on wind and solar energy for jobs, russian terrorists will just come and destroy all our wind and solar capacity so that we have to keep buying oil from them. Some people say that wind electricity is cheaper than natural gas, but they are communist dupes.
It’s not the fault of fracking…and then you say we are still waiting on scientific proof. There is actually a lot of scientific proof that it is due to fracking and injection. There is “debate” the same way there is debate about climate change, namely the oil companies pay people to lie.
“Besides that, if we depend on wind and solar energy for jobs, russian terrorists will just come and destroy all our wind and solar capacity so that we have to keep buying oil from them.”
That is literally retarded. So, you fear that Russians will come and destroy resources that are spread throughout the entire country easier than they can destroy things that are centralized? Oil is in a few places, with massive storage terminals that distribute throughout regions. It is much easier to destroy that and harm a whole area of the US than to do that to thousands of wind and solar terminals.
Your whole argument is idiotic. You should just say you prefer oil no matter the consequences, at least that would make sense.
Fracking never created these earthquakes. Faults have been in the earth for centuries, and Oklahoma has had at least 3 earthquakes every year in the history of the world. The fact that they had 1000 last year is simply a statistical aberration. This year, there won’t be so many
You are great, Herman. I absolutely couldn’t agree with you more. Want to get together later and watch Fox News? I’ll bring my own spit cup and artificial Obama-rage.
Earthquakes aren’t real; that’s junk science. Even if they were real, that doesn’t mean that humans have any effect on them whatsoever ;)
Of course, because you are stupid too. You are completely delusional, saying this is Obama’s fault, as usual. Get a grip on reality. I cannot wait for your terrible generation to just be gone so the US can become an advanced society again.
First, you underestimate the number of earthquakes by about 5X (or should I say you copied and pasted from a bad source), unless you are talking about earthquakes above 3.5, which is entirely different and should be stated.
You are 100% wrong saying it is natural. As for the idea that they will slow down this year, which you pulled out of your ass or off a Fox News type site, you are 100% wrong, 0% right. There have already been over 320 earthquakes over 4.2, which are pretty big. They are on pace for about 2300 earthquakes of this magnitude, which is probably a “statistical aberration”.
UW – Herman and I are being sarcastic.
If you want to know the real reason Oklahoma is having all these earthquakes, look no further than who occupies The Oval Office. Thanks a lot Obama!