Second Earthquake in Under a Month Shuts Down Colorado Fracking Wastewater Injection Well

authordefault
on

Aย second earthquakeย struck Greeley in northeastern Colorado on Monday, June 23 prompting the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to order a halt to the injection of contaminated drilling wastewater into a deep disposal well in the area.

The ban on injecting wastewater will last for 20 days as officials explore a potential link between the injection activity and the sudden jump in seismicity in the area. The most recent quake was a 2.6 magnitude temblor that hit about five miles north of Greeleyย at 12:27 p.m. It follows a 3.4 magnitude quake whichย struck the same area May 30.

Two quakes in less than a month, in an area the U.S. Geological Survey formerly called โ€œaseismic,โ€ has led to speculation that the temblors are โ€œfrackquakes,โ€ seismic activity induced by the injection of drilling wastewater into deep rockย formations.ย 

High Sierra Water Services, the company doing the injecting, was ordered to stop its activities in light of theย quakes.ย 

It isย accepted scientific factย that earthquakes are induced by fluid injection into deep geological formations. The U.S. Geological Surveyย has refused to rule outย the possibility that such injection wells can interact with nearby faults to cause majorย earthquakes.

Earthquakes induced by fluid injection can haveย magnitudes of up to 5, and injection activity has been known to cause significant earthquakes in eastern Colorado in theย past.

authordefault
Admin's short bio, lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Voluptate maxime officiis sed aliquam! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit.

Related Posts

on

New findings from an alliance of NGOs challenges the belief that climate falsehoods are confined to social media.

New findings from an alliance of NGOs challenges the belief that climate falsehoods are confined to social media.
on

Local officials are considering developer Balicoโ€™s plans to build the biggest gas-fired power plant in the U.S. in over a decade.

Local officials are considering developer Balicoโ€™s plans to build the biggest gas-fired power plant in the U.S. in over a decade.
on

The Heritage Foundation helped to โ€œdesignโ€ the manifesto of candidate Sali Berisha, who is accused of corruption.

The Heritage Foundation helped to โ€œdesignโ€ the manifesto of candidate Sali Berisha, who is accused of corruption.
Series: MAGA
on

The group plans to attract donations from U.S. backers allied to Donald Trump.

The group plans to attract donations from U.S. backers allied to Donald Trump.