Can Fracking Cause Earthquakes?
Between 1973 and 2008, there were a total of 852 Magnitude 3 or higher earthquakes in the central United States. But between 2009 and 2017, there were 3,258. This recent spike in seismic activity in the region has a lot of people wondering if hydraulic fracture (fracking) methods of oil production are to blame.
Well, it turns out the answer is “not directly,” according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which reports that even in Oklahoma—the state with the highest rate of induced earthquakes—only 1-2% can be attributed to fracking. The rest are induced by wastewater disposal.
Injection wastewater wells are present at all oil wells, not just fracking sites. A number of factors need to combine in order for one to induce an earthquake: the injection rate and total volume, faults large enough to produce felt earthquakes, stresses that are large enough, and the presence of pathways for the fluid pressure to travel from the injection point to faults.
The flow of the wastewater means that seismic activity may be induced as much as 10 miles from the injection point.
Whether they are induced or naturally occurring, prevention is difficult when it comes to earthquakes, so it’s important to work on mitigating risk in your community.
How to Set a Community Disaster Plan
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cites building codes as the single-most important factor for saving lives and reducing losses in earthquake-prone areas. Adopting and enforcing up-to-date codes is literally a life-and-death proposition. The International Code Council (ICC) suite of codes for all building types include seismic standards to ensure structures are strong enough to perform during an earthquake.
Careful review of design plans, construction inspections, and building and occupancy permits help ensure the codes are enforced. Existing buildings should be evaluated and retrofitted.
Your community should also have a disaster plan in place to help you manage the response and recovery if a disaster does strike. Elements include vendor contracts, volunteer engagement, funding options, policy review, staffing evaluation, and a recovery strategy.
See IBTS’s Building Code Revision Tips for Earthquake Resilience, and learn more about disaster planning here.