U.S.G.S. Predicts a Reduction in Human-Induced Earthquakes in Ohio
From The Columbus Dispatch:
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Even though the report found that the risk of damage from earthquakes is likely to be lower in Ohio this year, geologists found that four Ohio counties — Belmont, Guernsey, Harrison and Washington — could see earthquakes increase because of human causes. All four are counties where oil and gas activity has grown.
Since 2014, after earthquakes connected with the oil and gas industry affected parts of eastern and northeastern Ohio, the state has required operators of any fracked well within 3 miles of a known fault or in areas prone to seismic activity to install seismic monitors. Injection wells — wells that take fracking wastewater — that operate in areas where earthquakes have happened in the past also are required to monitor for quakes.
Jackie Stewart, a spokeswoman for Energy in Depth, an organization that promotes the oil and gas industry, said the report is "good news for Ohioans."
"It's clear that due to Ohio's aggressive induced seismicity standards regarding permitting and operating (injection wells), the risk of induced seismicity has dropped significantly," Stewart said. "This is also an issue that scientists say with near uniformity can be effectively managed, and we are doing that very thing in Ohio."Read the entire article by clicking here.
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