Large earthquakes unlikely, geologists say
The series of small earthquakes that have slightly rocked the Greenbrier area this month are no cause for alarm, according to Scott Ausbrooks, geohazards supervisor for the Arkansas Geological Survey.
The strongest of the recent tremors happened at 1:53 p.m. Oct. 15, registering a magnitude of 3.0 on the Richter scale — enough to notice in an otherwise still environment, but not enough to cause damage, Ausbrooks said. At 9:54 Sunday night, another minor earthquake, registering a magnitude of 2.9 on the Richter scale, occurred in an area about 2 miles north-northwest of Greenbrier and 4 miles south-southeast of Twin Groves.
Several other small earthquakes, all between 2.0 and 2.6 in magnitude, have also recently occurred in the area west and northwest of Greenbrier, according to Arkansas Geologic Survey data.
It’s similar to the phenomenon known to geologists as the “Enola Swarm,” Ausbrooks said, when a 1.2-magnitude event near Enola in January of 1982 heralded a week of near-constant seismic activity that left geologic survey maps of the area peppered with small seismic events and peaked Jan. 21 with a 4.5-magnitude earthquake roughly at the center point between Enola and Holland. This largest event was at the magnitude level for those near the epicenter to experience “stuff falling off shelves,” Ausbrooks said, but not strong enough to damage buildings.
According to Ausbrooks, the geologic structure beneath the area that is now experiencing the minor earthquakes is similar in its composition to that beneath the “Enola Swarm,” and he said he would be surprised if earthquakes there reached a higher magnitude than those in the swarm.
Measurable earthquakes in both areas, he said, are thought to be caused by naturally-occurring fractures in relatively shallow rock layers about a mile to a mile-and-a-half down. There are several fault lines that cross the area, he said, but these are considered dormant by geologists, though they do produce some “microquakes” that can only be detected through instruments.
“There you just don’t have the kind of strain that build up real fast and causes larger events,” he said.
Some in Faulkner County have speculated, as did the residents of Cleburne, Texas, earlier this year, that natural gas drilling and exploration may be triggering the seismic activity. The connection seemed clearer to Cleburne residents, according to reports, because no such activity had been recorded in their area prior to natural gas exploration there.
Those who believe there is a connection often cite the gas recovery process known as “fracking,” in which a liquid is injected into a bore hole at high pressure to break up rock layers, thereby giving trapped natural gas an avenue to escape. Ausbrooks said that, as he understood it, the drilling and “fracking” occurs at a shallower depth than the geologic structures thought to be causing the earthquakes. There may be a connection, he said, but “at this moment we just don’t know what it’s related to.”
Dr. Charles Langston, another geologist studying the phenomena and director of the University of Memphis’ Center for Earthquake Research and Information, said it was “kind of unusual that it decided to start popping off like this,” but wasn’t ready to say that the theory that natural gas exploration was behind the earthquakes was more than plausible.
“In the area right there we’ve had lots of earthquakes in the past, so these could be naturally occurring,” he said. “They seem oddly constant — right around 2.5. I guess the bigger question would be is there something bigger coming?”
If there is something bigger in the works, Langston said it probably wouldn’t be the work of local drillers. In the 1940s, there was a small earthquake in the Los Angeles Basin that was determined to have been caused by the removal of a great deal of petroleum, which resulted in “subsidence of the ground,” or the “sinking” of an area due to the material that had supported it being removed, and in Rangely, Colo., he said, it was shown that the high-pressure fluid technique being used by drillers there did produce a measurable increase in measurable — but likely not felt — seismic activity.
Though the theory that the “fracking” operation triggers small earthquakes “seems reasonable,” Langston said he didn’t “think well injection would cause an overly large earthquake,” because the fractures the process creates run only as far as 100 meters, which he said isn’t enough to unsettle the structures to the point of producing damaging earthquakes.
For purposes of compiling data to better study the recent seismic activity, Langston urged citizens who feel — or think they feel — an earthquake to go to www.ceri.memphis.edu and follow the “did you feel it” link to complete a “felt report” describing the activity.
(Staff writer Joe Lamb can be reached at 505-1238 or by E-mail at joe.lamb@thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit.)
I live in Greenbrier...
...and am a little concerned about the string of recent earthquakes. They seem to be increasing in frequency and magnitude. I am wondering if our city government is pursuing their cause and future projections.
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?
some links
This gives the lattitude, longitude and depth. Evidently the quake was pretty darn shallow. About 100 meters, or about 109 yards.
http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/recent/nmhnw1026d_l.html
Here is a map to those coordinates.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=35.24N+92.42W&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GFRC&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=%2B35%C2%B0+14'+24.00%22,+-92%C2%B0+25'+12.00%22&gl=us&ei=jPDlSovZK4mEMv3W6J4D&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAkQ8gEwAA
Anybody have any info on that spot? What is out there?
Natural Gas Wells / Disposal Sites
Natural Gas Wells / Disposal Sites - http://www.geostor.arkansas.gov/g6/apps/app_aogc/
locations overlayed
A coworker created a map with the earthquake locations and I've overlayed the AOGC mapped locations via the Geostor data and you can see the overlay here:
http://www.kellyshipp.com/test/earthquake_overlay.jpg
[Since we can't upload photos to this blog, this is the best I could do by including a link....]
I'm not fully convinced you can draw any conclusions from these relationships, but time will help determine any trends.
Legend of overlay:
Green & red circles = Natural Gas Wells
Green squares = Inactive/Plugged Wells
Blue Triangles = AOGC Disposal sites
Shale Gas Drilling:
Shale gas drilling went on in our neighborhood for over 3 years. Noise, and vibrations that ratteled our windows. This went on 24/7. After 3 years, they say there is no gas there. This is only 2 football fields away from us!! So now they buy out the land that they had been leasing, for 2 and 1/2 million dollars!!!!!!!!! Guess what? Toxic waste injection station---arsenic, mercury, benzene--to name other things. The drivers of the toxic waste trucks are suppose to wear hazmat suits--------THESE EARTHQUAKES + being on the San Madrid failt quake line, may be one culprit. The combination scares our family to death!! Mother Earth, is pleading with us to please stop this unwanted toxic mess going into our earth. Our beloved earth has supported us for eons!!!! Let us ALL SPEAK OUT!!!!!!!
Stop raping the earth for $$$$
Melba L. May
Melba May
Believe me...I'm scared for you!!!
Melba May,
You have every right to be scared out of your mind!!!!!
If I were you I would find a haz-mat suit online and run out to that waste water disposal site. Take a sealed drum with you to collect a sample, then have your own, independent analysis performed...We're all counting on you to GO FOR IT!!!
Maybe you could move to California...and live with others who plead for mother earth...I bet that would stop the earthquakes... (insert rolling eyes smilie here)
Wait!!!! CALL AL-GORE and tell HIM what is happening!!!!
just thinkin' out loud...
Good Points, Melba
Drilling for natural gas is not exactly what you might call eco-friendly. The drilling process, called hydraulic fracturing, involves creating fractures in hard shale to release trapped natural gas. This is done through the high pressure injection of chemical laden fluids into the shale, which is generally 6000 to 8000 feet below ground. The process also may involve horizontal drilling which can go a mile underground.
The companies doing the drilling are exempt, under the 2005 Energy Bill, from the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act, the Superfund law, the Right-to-Know Act, and other regulations. Gas companies in Arkansas are not required to disclose the chemical content of the fluids used in the drilling process. World renowned endocrinologist Dr. Theo Coburn, in sworn congressional testimony stated that she was able to access a list of chemicals in one formula. The list contained 171 chemicals, 92 percent linked to health problems including skin and lung irritations, nervous system disorders, cancers, and reproductive organ damage.
Whether the ground water near the drilling sites in Arkansas is contaminated is an unknown. In New Mexico though, where gas drilling has also been done, there have been hundreds of reported occurrences of groundwater contamination. The EPA has also reported finding Benzene and other chemical compounds in over one third of ground water samples tested at a major drilling site in Wyoming.
Hydraulic Fracturing, in addition to contaminating the sites near the drilling, produces millions of gallons of contaminated waste water. There was recent news of Vilonia City Council adopting a resolution allowing the Arkansas Reclamation Company to construct a monofill on 20 acres of land in neighboring White County. The LCD story on 8/26/2009 also stated that “Vilonia will also serve as a liaison between the company and the public”, whatever that means. This storage system will consist of large, open pits. These pits will be double lined, but what happens in the event of heavy rain, or a flood? The material that is deposited in these pits, in addition to containing various lethal chemicals can also be radioactive. Low levels of uranium, thorium, radium 226 and radium 228 can be brought to the surface through drilling, and can be contained in the waste water. According to the Texas Department of State Health services, 140 hydraulic fracture drill sites with unacceptable levels of radiation required decontamination between January 2005 and November 2007.
I suppose injecting a few hundred dollars a day into the Vilonia municipal coffers is tempting, and I am sure the people who own the land in White County, and the people with the access roads will profit as well, but what happens when one of these tankers containing poisoned, possibly low level radioactive waste turns over on Highway 64? Is there any Emergency plan in place? Are EMT’s prepared to deal with spills of chemicals that by federal law do not even have to be identified? If, during heavy rain the tanks at the monofill overflow and contaminate the ground water, who will be responsible for the subsequent health problems with livestock, and more importantly people? Who will pay to clean up the contamination? What about the health of the people handling this toxic sludge? Even under the safest conditions, accidents occur. A spigot doesn’t get closed, a truck overturns. These types of accidents in addition to fires, explosions and pipe failures are inherent risks of drilling. Are the few dollars and nine or ten jobs Vilonia will get worth the risk, if it is at the expense of people’s health, and possibly their lives?
Very well put schultheis
Thanks for the research! I much prefer actual documentation and statistics over the chicken littles just screaming that the sky is falling.
So, what action can be taken? Can anything really be done to correct or prevent the possible toxic effects?
**Edit** i meant to thank others that posted informed, educated links as well....evidently i have not been properly caffeinated today.
Greed
Unfortunately I don't think there is much that can be done. The need to feed our fossil fuel adiction combined with the greed of landowners who either don't know or do not want to acknowledge the harmful effects of fracture drilling on the environment pretty much ensure that it will continue unabated. Perhaps contacting your local, state, or federal elected officials to complain about the weak EPA rules might have some efffect, but they too all benefit financially from the drilling. The toxic effects of the chemicals used and then disposed of in the process don't become apparent until many years after the drilling companies have moved on. It will be our children and grandchildren that suffer for our addiction and greed.
Wake Up People
I have finally gotten tired of seeing everybody complain about the gas industry here... So I'm going to say my thoughts on the matter. Everybody needs to look around and see how much money, jobs!!! and other things that they have brought into our economy. I have lived in faulkner county all my life and hated having to drive to Little Rock for work or a decent meal and God forbid a beer with my steak. All you have to do is look around at all the trucks and you will see how many jobs are created here because of gas drilling. I have been working in a gas related job for over two years now and have made more money than I ever have working a regular job in Conway. I know at least 50 to 100 people I grew up with doing the same. It also has brought on the need for more hotels and nice places to eat...etc So stop complaining already. This town needed a boost. As far as the water disposal, they get tested by the state on a regular basis and believe me they get shut down in a hurry if things are not up to standards. Ok now that I have off my chest I'm going to finish out my day. Go to the Out Back and eat a steak and yes ....... drink a beer!
Gas and Beer???
Just4Fun I don't get how beer and gas fit together....other than that most of this American brewed swill gives me gas...
I do see your other points though. However I tend to lean more toward preserving the environment (or at least not harming it), rather than providing another hard laborer job to the economy...as with anything, everything has its pros and cons.
Hey whats the happy hour specials at outback tonight?!?!
Gas and Beer
Sorry Tjernobyl Child I was just venting about all the crap that I see on here. #1 most complained about is the Alcohol in faulkner county. #2 Gas Industry. As for the beer and gas going together. I think that all the extra people here for the gas industry brought on the demand for more fine dining. Getting a Alcohol permit opened up new doors for nicer places to eat. No... I don't think there should be a liquor store on every corner, but I do like having a beer or glass of wine with my meal. Like you I also believe in preserving the environment. Working in the gas industry I have noticed a lot of the companies go out of their way to leave the landscape in good shape after the wells are complete. The Gas companies where also maintaining the roads very well until our politicians started taxing them more for "road repairs" Now that its up to our county to repair them ,our roads are going back to the same old crap we have dealt with for years. I drove down one this morning that actually has a sign from apoligizing for the poor road conditions and that the county would repair them after the gas industry traffic where through in that area. I mean really? What happen to our tax money? Do they not realize the gas industry will be here for years to come? Why can the gas companies keep them maintained and our county cant? Ok Ok I'm getting back on my soap box...lol And all this ranting started with a article about earthquakes...lol
Just4fun, You may be willing
Just4fun,
You may be willing to comprimise the potential well being of the environment in north Faulkner County for a job an a beer, but many of us have a longer outlook on the situation. The gas/oil companies have only benefited a few. To the rest of us they have been a significant nusiance. I'm one of those who has one of those drilling sites nearby to my home and I have found Cheasapeak to be a horrible company to deal with and certainly not a "partner" to the community. They sell a good line when they need something from you, but have a problem and they simply point you to their panel of lawyers.
I don't know if the earthquakes have any ties to the drilling or not, but regardless, all the drilling in Faulkner County certainly was not the benefit we were led to believe.
Faulkner
Ok most of the beer comments where made as jokes because of all the people acting like we are going to have casinos, honky tonks and hookers on every corner in Conway because a few places now serve drinks.
As for the "Compromising the potential well being of the environment of north Faulkner county for a job and a beer" My family has lived in North Faulkner county since my great grandfather was alive. I very much intend on living the rest of my life in this area and my daughter will probably raise her family here when the time comes. So I'm probably just as concerned as anyone about the future impact of the gas industry here. But as of yet I have no proof that we are causing any problems that will be destroying our future. I'm under the impression that most people beating the negative drum do not have their mineral rights so they are bitter that some people are getting rich while others watch. Yes there are a lot of Jed Clampents running around now spending money in our community. Again helping our economy. I personally do not have any gas wells as of yet but I'm happy for those that are doing well because of it. As a single father with a daughter in college I'm very thankful for the job I have that pays well enough to support us in these hard times. As for Chesapeak being hard to deal with. I don't have any dealings with them but I have been on many job sites that in the end look clean and sometimes even improved better than before. Better roads, fence and even new ponds which aids the cattle and even the wild life for that matter. I guess only time will tell.
eeek!
The sky fell? Gosh and I didn't even get a scratch!!! Hehe...let me tell ya 'bout a story 'bout a man named j...he got a new double wide and let jr's have the old single. But wait! What about the rest of their kin!? Heaven's to betsy looks like those mineral rights would keep them out of the --- (earth shakes under their feet) then they say sorry about your roads, We'll fix those later after we distroy your state slogan and everything it or we stand for and ON! (Deep breath) don't eat the fish.
EEEK
You can thank the politicians for our road conditions. Up until the big tax increase on the the gas and gas companies....they (the gas companies) built up and repaired all the roads to the job sites. Now the state is raking in tax money and like always it seems to vanish before it gets to repairing the road. Yes there are plenty of new double wides...lol but I can also point out some 300k and above homes that are a direct result of leasing mineral rights and royalties off of the wells. Figure in all the new pickup trucks and big screen tvs etc ....lol and you will understand this all trickles down and helps keep a lot of jobs in this area. Last I heard Seeco was building a multi million dollar corperate office over by Hendrix. Sounds like more jobs for the people of Conway. Again thats construction workers, people that sell carpet, office furniture, etc. It goes on and on!!