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31+ Quakes Rattle Texas Today: Likely Fracking Related

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Each dot on this map represents the epicenter of an earthquake over the last 24 hours; red dots reflect the most request earthquakes. Image: USGS
Each dot on this map represents the epicenter of an earthquake over the last 24 hours; red dots reflect the most request earthquakes. Image: USGS

According to USGS, more than 30 generally weak earthquakes struck portions of western and central Texas today.  The earthquakes ranged in intensity from being a magnitude 0.6 to 2.6 intensity and ranged from a depth of 3.4 to 13.3 km, making them all relatively shallow too. These earthquakes are likely  due to fracking or oil/gas related processes in the region.

USGS says that earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or less are rarely felt or heard by people, but once they exceed 2.0 , more and more people can feel them. While damage is possible with magnitude 3.0 events or greater, significant damage and casualties usually don’t occur until the magnitude of a seismic event rises to a 5.5 or greater rated event.

The updated model shows areas in red with the greatest chances of seeing a damaging earthquake over the next 100 years. Image: USGS
The updated model shows areas in red with the greatest chances of seeing a damaging earthquake over the next 100 years. Louisiana is not in an area prone to significant quakes. Image: USGS

Fracking-generating earthquakes have been a concern in places like Oklahoma and could also become problematic for Texas. Beginning in 2009, Oklahoma experienced a surge in seismicity according to USGS. “This surge was so large that its rate of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes exceeded California’s from 2014 through 2017,” writes USGS in a report analyzing the increase in seismicity here. “While these earthquakes have been induced by oil and gas related process, few of these earthquakes were induced by fracking. The largest earthquake known to be induced by hydraulic fracturing in Oklahoma was a M3.6 earthquakes in 2019. The largest known fracking induced earthquake in the United States was a M4.0 earthquake that occurred in Texas in 2018. The majority of earthquakes in Oklahoma are caused by the industrial practice​ known as “wastewater disposal”. Wastewater disposal is a ​separate ​process in which fluid waste from oil and gas production is injected deep underground far below ground water or drinking water aquifers. In Oklahoma over 90% of the wastewater that is injected is a byproduct of oil extraction process and not waste frack fluid.”

 

According to USGS, this is not a seismically active part of the country. But according to the Fractracker Alliance, though, the area of this seismicity today  is in an area rich of fracking and oil and gas production.