Study: Fracing, saltwater disposal have limited seismic impact

June 26, 2017

Research from a University of Alberta geophysicist suggests hydraulic fracturing and saltwater disposal have limited impact on seismic events.

A team of researchers led by Mirko Van der Baan found no state- or province-wide correlation between increased hydrocarbon production and seismicity after reviewing 30-50 years of earthquake rates from US states North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Canadian provinces Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

They also discovered that human-induced seismicity is less likely in areas where fewer natural earthquakes occur.

The lone exception was Oklahoma, where seismicity rates have changed dramatically in the last 5 years, with strong correlation to saltwater disposal related to increased hydrocarbon production (OGJ, June 19, 2017, p. 23)...

Read entire article at Oil & Gas Journal.

 

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