Techniques for fracking oil cause earthquakes in America?

Concerns that some small earthquakes in the US state of Ohio may have formed from sewage generated during the use of fracking has forced one to shut down an extraction well. oil, while posing questions about this oil and gas extraction technique.

The latest and most powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 4 on the Richter scale, occurred during the New Year near an oil well operated by D&L Energy in Youngstown in Northeast Ohio, which witnessed an explosion of mining operations. waterfall using the above technique.

Industry officials say the state of Ohio quietly stopped its operations at the Youngstown mining well using the technology, after a 2.7-magnitude earthquake struck on December 24, but continued to open. wide order to stop operating to an area with a radius of 8km around this well, after a stronger earthquake appeared on December 31.

"In a precautionary measure, we reached an agreement with the owner of the extraction well and will stop pumping the water until we can determine which potential cause led to seismic events. near the wire, " said the state's natural energy managing director, James Zehringer.

John Armbruster, a geologist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, who has studied much about earthquakes, said: "I think the connection between these events is convincing. In a three-dimensional environment, the earthquake is only 1 km away from the bottom of the extraction well ".

After measuring the latest 11 earthquakes, Armbruster's team advised state authorities: "The relationship between the extraction well and the earthquake is quite clear and they decided to close the well, which in their responsibility ".

A spokesman for the Ohio Petroleum Association said that the suspension of exploitation was correct until the problem was understood.

"We also believe that while we may have phenomena that cause doubts at mining wells, there is no evidence of a direct link between them. This question needs to be clarified through measurements. Be careful science, " said Tom Stewart, executive vice president of the association.

Ohio's oil and gas industry grew well thanks to a large concentration of oil and shale gas in Ohio, with reserves estimated to be 5.5 billion barrels of oil and 15,000 billion cubic meters of gas.

The hydraulic fracturing technique , also known as "fracking" , is in fact high-pressure water pumping mixed with sand and chemicals to cut rock and soil, thereby releasing oil and gas trapped in the soil. rock. This technique is believed to be the key to helping people exploit the above oil and gas potential. The effluent from these wells will then be poured into other wells using the same technology.

Tom Stewart points out that about 180 technical wells are operating in Ohio and generating up to 7 million barrels of waste water per year and seldom occur any problem since they began operations in the middle of the years. 1980.

"In my opinion, if there is a connection, these well systems must touch a certain point of uncertainty underground or something and create vibrations. But the wells. This has been in operation since the 1980s and their operational history is excellent. It is the preferred method for managing waste water , " he said.

Youngstown oil well came into operation in December 2010 and soon after, in March 2011, the earthquake began to appear. By the end of last year, 11 earthquakes had occurred, all of which originated from the same place, the same depth, with magnitudes ranging from 2.1 to 4 on the Richter scale.

They did not cause casualties and only minor damage to the property, but the earthquake caused a surprise in an area with little history of geological activities.

Last year, a series of major Arkansas earthquakes forced the authorities here to shut down at least two wells using hydraulic fracturing techniques and scientists at South Methodist University found connections. The system between earthquakes and oil fields uses this technology in the Fort Worth-Dallas area in 2009.