The journal Science published a paper called "Fault activation by hydraulic fracturing in western Canada" which proves that fault lines can be induced into earthquakes through fracturing processes.
source
Fracking is injecting waste water deep into the ground to release locked up natural gas. It has been causing natural gas to leak into water tables, making the water undrinkable, yet the fracking companies denied this was their fault. Now we have an increase in earthquakes with a clear causation, and they denied it, along with the mainstream who backed up the industry claims of innocence.
source
This study is good news. At first the fracking industry denied, saying there was no "proof" that what they were doing was the reason for increased earthquake activity. But a meeting in Rio, Nevada where over 700 seismologists from 20 countries met in April, no one was denying it. At that time, Gail Atkinson from Western University in London, Ontario said:
"In Western Canada, most of the seismicity we're experiencing is being actually directly related to hydraulic fracturing."
Study research
sourceThe denial from governments as a result of industry pressure seems to be lifting, finally. Many advocates have been championing for reforms to fracking laws so that these environmental problems no longer occur. After years, they finally had their voices heard and the official scientific data shows that the obvious reality was indeed obvious: fracking induces earthquakes, and ruins water tables.
At the conference in April in Reno, was also David Eaton of the University of Calgary, another Canadian presenting new research, which is the research paper I linked to above. The study concluded that:
"... fault activation during and after hydraulic fracturing can be triggered by different mechanisms, including stress changes due to the elastic response of the rockmass to hydraulic fracturing or pore-pressure changes due to fluid diffusion along a permeable fault zone. While stress-related triggering appears to diminish shortly after operations, a fluid-pressurized fault may be susceptible to persistent seismicity for a period of at least several months."
source
This picture represents the magnitude in size and color is date range, from northwestern Alberta, Canada for the period 1985−2016.
Canada has been fortunate as to cause less damage due to the remoteness of well locations. In the US, such as in Oklahoma, the fracking is near more populated area.
But the government still doesn't care enough to put a stop to it, only to "mitigate" the damages that the industry causes. After all, to restrict jobs would be a death-knell to their political career. Jobs and money trump reality and doing what is right, for many people on this planet.
To compound their ignorance, the news reports continue with:
"But no one really knows if that will help stop the shaking, and no one even knows whether an end to fracking altogether would be enough to completely stop the earthquakes."
So because we don't know that stopping the fracking would help or not, let's not try! OK? Awesome! Same as before, you can't "prove" the fracking is doing this or that, so you can't make us stop legally. You can't "prove" stopping fracking would be good, so let's keep doing it!
All a crook has to do is deny, deny, deny and act innocent. Never underestimate the power of denial.
Thank you for your time and attention! I appreciate the knowledge reaching more people. Take care. Peace.
References:
- Fault activation by hydraulic fracturing in western Canada
- Do fracking activities cause earthquakes? Seismologists and the state of Oklahoma say yes
- Human-Induced Earthquakes from Deep-Well Injection: A Brief Overview
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@krnel
2016-12-16, 10am
Great, thanks! I'm sure you've probably seen this, but some of your other followers may not have. Either way it's a really important documentary and although it's not about earthquakes, it does show many other consequences of fracking.
I downloaded it for part of my information archive, but never watched ehehe.
It's definitely worth the time for anyone concerned with the environment.
Absolutely. I just have tons and tons of video and audio and text that I will probably never get to in my lifetime ;)
Ah...the joys of being old and retired ;-}
thanks for sharing something mainstream doesn't want to cover
Welcome. Needs to stop.
I remember years ago the Rocky Mountain Arsenal was pumping things deep into the ground to dispose of them. It was causing all kinds of earthquakes too and they had to stop doing it.
When driving through the area it smelled a bit different from all the chemicals and refining being done.
I don't think it is healthy to be pumping things deep into the ground - they usually have to come out sometime as we know from some sources of spring water that come out after many years of underground travel.
Indeed, thanks for the feedback.
Great research, and thank you for pushing the facts. It's absolute insanity that this is still legal. Thanks for sharing!
I remember a few years back when I seen a documentary on this. People were lighting the water out of the faucet on fire. That was all I needed to see to know that fracking was a no no.
Yup, was pretty obvious lol
I'm not surprised but it's good to have proofs :)
thanks
Thanks for this post! I agree 100%. A few days ago I published this post:
https://steemit.com/deutsch/@freiheit50/die-dunkle-seite-der-karbonisierung-english-version-included (german/english)
I mentioned fracking within a long list of environmental problems caused by fossile energy.
@krnel, nasty business. Thank you for sharing.
Yes it is. Welcome :)
Upvoted and resteemed - a hugely important environmental issue - I have a slightly different post in the making! Thank you for raising a critical issue in a digestible format!
Thanks fr the support and yes it's important indeed.
You are aware they suspended fracking in Oklahoma to see if it indeed made a difference concerning how many earth quakes occured? The USGS and OGS both determined that fracking was not a substantial contributing factor. There are a couple of major faults in the central US that are active right now and have shifted.
Amazing even with the internet and facts readily available , people still want to make the emotional appeal.
So does building a huge city on unstable ground as distinct from rock
Makes sense. They've been saying that for while, well someone was saying it. Maybe someday changes can be made so it won't happen. When its more profitable to not take shale.
Nice post .
well there's somethin! great post
upvoted
I think that your post is very informative, keep up the good work!