Lions and tigers and earthquakes, oh my!
I live in Greenbrier... new
By étoilé | 10/26/09 - 01:45
I live in Greenbrier and am a little concerned about the string of recent earthquakes. Last night's episode shook our whole house.
They seem to be increasing in frequency and magnitude. I am wondering if the appropriate city or state government agencies are pursuing their cause and future projections.
I can find no news coverage regarding such findings.
My initial thoughts were that the quakes must be a result of the heavy oil and gas drilling in our area coupled with the soft grounds from the heavy rains.
Now that I see that another quake registered last night in northeast Ark., I am really hoping that this string of quakes is merely the result of our local rigs. It is scary to think otherwise.
Any earthquake experts out there?
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
"Frac" Tech Tearing Up The Earth?
The collusion between business interests and the local paper is becoming readily apparent in this city. The LCD has probably not done it's homework or it would probably be calling out the CO2 "frac"ing being done by natural gas drilling companies in the Greenbrier area as a possible cause for the earthquakes, or at the very least call for a serious investigation into the matter and at least show a pretense of care for the community they serve. Let's discuss what a "frac" is.
"Frac" is short for fracture, but what is being fractured? Small faults in the Earth's crust that will yield larger and easier to obtain gas deposits. Could that cause earthquakes? I'm not a geologist, but it sure sounds like a darn good possibility. I bet if I WAS a geologist and got paid enough money by the same said gas companies that I would find every skewed statistic to say that it was NOT the cause. Savvy?
http://www.naturalgas.org/environment/technology.asp
http://letters.salon.com/env/feature/2009/07/14/gas/view/index2.html?sho...
http://www.civilianism.com/futurism/?p=2358
Jeremias X
Jeremias...
...I think that you are on to something there.
I am also aware of a well-disposal site just near the point-of-origin. It rests among about three or four other wells in a small area that sits about a mile from my home.
It is a little alarming. I sure do hope that between media and local environmental agencies, they can figure out what is going on in our little town.
The New Madrid Fault
You all do know of the new madrid fault a bit northeast up that way right?....sure its not a big as the San Andreas, but every 10 years or so it tends to act up a bit. These latest series of tiny quakes does not seem to be out of trend with the last 30 years before the drilling began....Though I dont think the drilling is helping anything along the fault, but I dont think it is hurting anything either.
Oh also neat to point out, ever since I was in grade school they've been saying the fault is "due for a size 7 any day now".
**update**...hey did ya'll read schulties post in the main article? Sounds like the tiny quakes arent what we should be worrying about. He points out some good stuff, actual proof beyond the chicken littles that just scream the sky is falling.
De'nile Ain't Just A River In Egypt
I'm amused that most local media sources IMMEDIATELY started defending the natural gas companies and their "shallow" fracturing of faults.
Let me ask you geniuses something...if there are faults deep in the earth, and it's like this limestone layered spongey cake affair...why wouldn't cracking faults in the shallow levels have the possibility of helping crack the ones below them as well? Everything affects everything else, there's no way around it.
In the KARK article I noticed they at least made reference to the last era of major OIL drilling in the area as having been widely perceived to cause minor quakes as well.
Is the potential for the loss of property, lives, and mental well-being of the citizens of the area enough to justify the corporate profits of Schlumberger and a few lucky farmers who are getting royalty checks? Why won't they at least take a serious look at the idea instead of instantly dismissing it without a study? Serious questions.
Jeremias X
shake, rattle and roll baby
If there was an increase in quake activity, I'd say that the first place to start looking for the cause would be the drilling....but from what I've seen so far, there has not been any increase. Little rattles happen up there every week and no one notices...until the media brings it up. If the media had not brought it to light recently, I bet no one would be the wiser.
I still say we should be more concerned with the toxins they are poisoning the ground with, rather than the quakes.
On the contrary...
...I couldn't disagree with you more. We have all scratched our heads for a good two weeks before the media even touched this story. The only reason that they probably did is because of the persistent badgering of a handful of worried citizens. And as you can see, we still have no more information than that which we all surmised on our own.
Something is amiss.
Yes, there is activity up here all of the time that no one feels. I have lived in this area my entire life, as have my father, grandfather, great-grandfather and so forth, and I can recall small quakes like these every once in blue moon, but never as steady.
This i did not know, etoile
I had not heard that activity had increased...the drilling combined with the elevated water table would be the first place i would cast a watchful eye then.
Though the quakes would cease as the ground settles, should the driling ever stop...i still wonder about the toxic effects and if the fall down from that will still be around hundreds of years from.
De'nile - Jeremias X
There is definitely more than one company drilling for Gas in Arkansas and Schlumberger is NOT one of them. The companies are actually Southwestern Energy, Chesapeake, Devon Energy, etc. They are the companies who have the leases and who determine where drilling will take place and in what fashion. Schlumberger, FracTech, Cudd, Haliburton, Weatherford, etc are simply the Service Companies who come in and do part of the services but NOT the drilling.
Be sure of your facts before you start making accusations and naming companies.
Look at Other High Drill Shale Areas for the Answers
These are just a few..... and let me emphasize FEW of the online articles showing just how similar we are to other high drill gas sites. When anyone takes from the Earth as they are, there is a price to pay.
I live between Guy and Greenbrier, and I am heartbroken at the disregard that these companies have for nature and quality of life. It's been a couple of years..... just wait..... 10-12 more to go.
Nail everything to the ground!
http://durangotexas.blogspot.com/2009/05/is-barnett-shale-drilling-causi...
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-qu...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/12/gas-drilling-might-be-res_n_215...
http://durangotexas.blogspot.com/2009/05/is-barnett-shale-drilling-causi...
@Simpson
Ok, so Schlumberger doesn't pull the trigger, they are simply the beneficiaries of the hit. Gotcha. I'm so glad there are such intelligent people in the world to correct me as needed.
Jeremias X