Did Fracking Cause the Recent Earthquake in the United Sates and Canada?

Earthquakes are a common occurrence throughout the World, but when a 6.5 magnitude quake struck Virginia, and spread to cause aftershocks across the East coast of America - Few experts could explain why? One theory is that "fracking" or the hydraulic fracturing of the earths crust may have been the cause.

Virginia, has never had a history of large Earthquakes in the last 10.000 years, and is an area which is away from the quake lines, which circle the world, but It is one state that has seen a huge growth of Fracking or the Hydraulic fracturing of our Earths crust- as energy companies seek more resources to fuel a gas and oil dependent economy

Earthquake & Tsunami In Japan

Fracking is a simple technique, a drill burrows deep into the earths crust, and a fluid is poured through the well head to crack the rocks, which form the foundation stones of our planet. Inside this foundation, oil, natural gas and water can be forced out, at a lower cost then other drilling methods. Currently over 90% of the natural gas used in the United States is through fracturing our planets foundation stone.

Internationally fracking is a less commonly used, because it causes environmental damage, the risk of earthquakes, and sinkholes. In the UK, fracking was stopped after the town of Blackpool experienced a minor quake, whilst in nuclear powered France- it was banned. This raises questions whether an unlikely earthquake, which cracked the ceiling of Washington's famous Washington Cathedral, was actually man- made rather than a 'natural disaster.'

The fact that a nation is willing to destroy its environment, and endanger millions of people because of a dependence on oil, and gas, shows that if this continues and further earthquakes occur, the cost of the damage of future earthquakes, could probably exceed the initial investment needed to build a society that runs completely on sustainable green energies.

Was the East coast earthquake a warning message, by mother earth for energy companies to stop damaging our planets foundation stone?

Did Fracking Cause the Recent Earthquake in the United Sates and Canada?

This Is Fracking Unfortunate - Earthquakes Potentially Caused By Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing

Over the last decade or so, our think tank has often discussed the issue of man-made Earthquakes. We've talked about use of tremors as a "force multiplier" for national defense, and the way in which we go after our resources in the ground is causing a few minor Earthquakes here and there. Interestingly enough, this has been in the news recently in the US and in England. In England a study noted a link between "Fracking" - a technique used to exploit oil and gas resources and Earthquakes.

No, this isn't news to any geologist, especially one who works in the mining industry or oil and gas sector. Still, it is something that sure makes the citizens feel uneasy - to know that the processes for getting to these resources is making the ground underneath their feet less that stable at times. Indeed, you can certainly understand how that could mess with one's mind. Now, I live in California, and we are used to Earthquakes here, but that doesn't change the racing of one's heart when an Earthquake comes along.

Earthquake & Tsunami In Japan

An article recently in Energy Daily Online News on November 15, 2011 titled; "US Government Confirms Link Between Earthquakes and Hydraulic Fracturing," by John C.K. Daly suggests that there may be links to injection well, "Fracking" and Earthquakes. In fact, there have been previous US Engineers and Geologists questioning the use of fracking-type techniques in the past, which seems to have been kept quiet as to not spook the public.

Remember the big Earthquake in Oklahoma recently, or the series of Earthquakes in Arkansas earlier in the year? Well, the article above stated that;

"In 1990, the "Earthquake Hazard Associated with Deep Well Injection--A Report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" study of RMA events by Craig Nicholson, and R.I. Wesson stated simply, "Injection had been discontinued at the site in the previous year once the link between the fluid injection and the earlier series of earthquakes was established."

The article has cited two other studies also:

1. Environmental Protection Agency's July 2001 87 page study, "Technical Program Overview: Underground Injection Control Regulations EPA 816-r-02-025."
2. Austin Holland's August 2011 report, "Examination of Possibly Induced Seismicity from Hydraulic Fracturing in the Eola Field, Garvin County, Oklahoma" Oklahoma Geological Survey OF1-2011.

Generally speaking, oil and gas geologists are wise enough to back-off if there is a chance they might cause an Earthquake, but, that doesn't mean those in other nations will feel the same way. After all, most major first world nations are involved in the exploration and production of oil and gas, and there is a big profit motivation, and economic reality to it all. Human civilizations do need these fossil fuels in the present period. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this.

This Is Fracking Unfortunate - Earthquakes Potentially Caused By Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing