There are plenty of reasons to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, such as oil or gas. Not only are they a finite resource, but their use also generates a great pollution. But, as if all that were not enough, you also have to be careful during your extraction. One of the most used techniques, popularly known as fracking, they can pollute the surrounding waters or release toxic gases into the environment. And now, in addition, we know that they can promote earthquake development.
This is the conclusion of a study recently published in Seismological Research Letters. its authors they focused only on Texas. According to them, 68% of earthquakes occurred between 2017 and 2020 to the west of this state are related to the extraction of gas and oil. However, it is not ruled out that can be applied to other parts of the world.
After all, the procedure is the same, wherever it is done. For this reason, according to the authors of this research, it should serve to call attention to companies that are dedicated to fracking so that they at least try to correct the procedures they carry out.
The hydraulic fracturingbetter known as frackingIt is a widely used method for extracting oil and gas. Broadly speaking, it consists of pumping a mixture of water, sand and other chemical compounds at high pressuren through horizontal wells. This causes the surrounding rock crack under pressure, letting oil and gas through. These circulate both towards another well dug at great depth and towards the surface.
It is a widely used technique, but it is surrounded by lots of criticism. And it is that part of the gas that comes to the surface cannot be recovered. Therefore, it remains polluting the environment, as does the water mixed with fuel that goes outside. But now, to all those more than justified criticisms, those extracted from this new study on earthquakes can be added.
To carry out this study, its authors tracked all the earthquakes of magnitude greater than 1.5 that took place in the delaware basinbetween 2017 and 2020. This is located west of Texas and is known precisely for having a large number of oil fields, as well as a spectacular fossilized reef.
It is also a point where earthquakes are common. But why? The answer was found by verifying, through the use of a combination of statistical analysis and physics-based modelingthat there was a very close relationship between oil and gas extraction and earthquakes.
They noted that 68% of these earthquakes occurred right at points where fuel was being or had been extracted. Of course, the percentages vary a lot, depending on the depth at which the water was injected. Most of them coincided with the hydraulic pumping in shallow sedimentary formations. In contrast, a much smaller proportion took place below the depth of the frackingat about 2,500 meters.
A considerable earthquake, of magnitude 5, which occurred in 2020, right in a bag in which water was being injected, this time at great depth. This indicates that increasing depth does not actually eliminate the possibility of earthquakes.
It is clear that the majority of earthquakes that take place on the planet have nothing to do with the extraction of fuel. However, on specific points there does seem to be a very close relationship.
But what is all this due to?
It is something that needs to be studied more, but in reality the relationship between oil extraction and earthquakes is obvious. Earthquakes occur when energy is suddenly released accumulated in the earth’s crust. This can happen in different ways. However, the most common is that it is given by fault activitys, which are fractures of the ground in which two blocks have slid, one on top of the other. The friction between these can generate some tension and, with it, end up leading to a tremor.
That internal pressure exerted by the water at the extract the fuel, as well as artificial fractures that are drilled into the ground, can cause similar consequences. Therefore, the authors of this study have developed an online tool that allows the operators of these deposits to voluntarily inform about their activity. Thus, scientists could have more information and try to find the best ways to act so that oil and gas are extracted as safely as possible. Although, logically, the safest thing is to stop extracting it. That is why it is so important to continue researching and perfecting new ways to obtain energy.