Hydraulic fracturing triggered a series of small earthquakes in 2013 on a previously unmapped fault in Harrison County, Ohio, according to a study published in the journal Seismological Research Letters (SRL) on October 14, 2014.
Nearly 400 small earthquakes occurred between October 1 and December 13, 2013, including 10 "positive" magnitude earthquake, none of which were reported felt by the public. The 10 positive magnitude earthquakes, which ranged from magnitude 1.7 to 2.2, occurred between October 2 and 19, coinciding with hydraulic fracturing operations at nearby wells.
This series of earthquakes is the first known instance of seismicity in the area.
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method for extracting gas and oil from shale rock by injecting a high-pressure water mixture directed at the rock to release the gas inside. The process of hydraulic fracturing involves injecting water, sand and chemicals into the rock under high pressure to create cracks.
The process of cracking rocks results in micro-earthquakes. Hydraulic fracturing usually creates ...
