A whole lot of shaking going on – who or what is the culprit?

Oklahoma has experienced an increasing number of earthquakes during the past few years. “The Oklahoma Geological Survey (“OGS”) considers it very likely that the majority of recent earthquakes … are triggered by the injection of wastewater in disposal wells,” the OGS said in a recent report. Oklahoma is in the midst of an earthquake swarm.
 
The present method of oil and gas extraction, known as hydrofracking (“fracturing”) is an oil and gas well extraction process that involves injecting water under high pressure into a bedrock formation via a well. It is used to increase oil and/or gas flow to a well for extraction from petroleum-bearing rock formations.
 
Can fracturing impact the quality of groundwater or surface water?
 
“Conducted properly, fracturing has little possibility of contaminating water supplies. Properly constructed wells prevent the introduction of drilling fluids, fracturing fluids, deep saline formation waters, or oil and gas from entering aquifers. Carefully constructed and operated well sites have the ability to contain potential spills and minimize runoff into surface waters. However, oil and gas drilling in general is an industrial activity in which it is possible for accidents to occur that result in contamination of surface waters and near-surface aquifers.
 
More research on fracturing is underway, including a major study conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”). The USGS has a large role in a recent Memorandum of Agreement among the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy (“DOE”), and the EPA to improve our scientific understanding of the environmental issues related to unconventional oil and gas extraction and disposal of wastewater.” You can read the USGS Report here.
 
According to the USGS, since the beginning of 2014, here are the top 5 states with increased earthquakes:
 
·      Number 5 is the state of Idaho who has had 22 earthquakes with average magnitude 3.0 or greater;
·      Number 4 is the state of Montana which has had 31 earthquakes with an average of 3.0 or greater;
·      Number 3 is the state of Oregon which has had 47 earthquakes;
·      Number 2 is the state of California, with 182 earthquakes, and a magnitude of 3.0 or stronger; and
·      Number one isn't even close. Since January 1, Oklahoma has had 303 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater.
It’s amazing Oklahoma has reported a significant number of earthquakes greater than California, who has been considered the state where an earthquake most likely would occur. Who would have ever guessed Oklahoma would not only have to worry about tornados, but also earthquakes.

However Oklahoma’s earthquakes generally are of the 4.0 or less magnitude but strong enough to be felt many miles away from the epicenter and damage housing foundations. The problem is these earthquakes seem to occur regularly and in one recent day, the USGS has recorded seven small earthquakes shaking central Oklahoma in a span of about 14 hours. They ranged between 2.6 through 2.9. The volume and frequency of these earthquakes has many Oklahoma homeowners considering adding earthquake damage to their home insurance policies.

The report is apparently holding to “the primary suspected source of triggered seismicity is not from fracturing, but from the injection/disposal of wastewater associated with oil and gas production. Produced water is naturally occurring water within the earth that is often high in salinity and co- exists with oil and gas in the subsurface. As the oil and gas is extracted/produced, so is the water. This water is then separated from the oil and gas through heating and re-injected into disposal wells. While there are large amounts of wastewater generated from fracturing, this volume represents part of the total volume of water injected into disposal wells in Oklahoma.”

Significant in the report, OGS indicates that fracturing, isn’t the culprit, but rather the injection/disposal of wastewater which is triggering the increase in earthquakes.

Most folks believe that fracturing has been around for a few years. But in reality, the fracturing method has been used since 1947. Fracturing has not been used as a regular method, until recently, due to the high costs for drilling each well. That changed with newer technology which has made the fracturing method more cost efficient aalong with high voumes and increasing costs per barrel. Most folks believe that the fracturing method is the culprit, but most reports have concluded the real issue is how the oil industry disposes of the wastewater. Folks worry about water contamination but in reality is that water was already in the ground and only became heightened because of the increase of wells now being drilled. The lack of securing Rights of Ways for pipeline is hindering industries ability to act more safely and reduce the potential of spills.

The oil industry merely needs to engineer pipelines from the wellhead to a disposal location and ensure it is disposed of correctly. There is very little governmental field staff monitoring the point of removal to the point of delivery. If we focus on the wastewater disposal more than the method used to extract the oil and gas from a well, we could alleviate and control improper disposal of wastewater and lessen our fear of water contamination. If you put wastewater in a proper water aqcuifer, under monitoring by government field technicians, issues would be reduced substantially. Who’s the culprit? Dig a little deeper and you will see.

– Jay Daniels has 30 years of experience working in Indian Country, managing trust lands and is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. You can find resources and information at http://roundhousetalk.com.