134
In North America, possible induced seismicity has been reported from hydraulic
fracturing activities in Oklahoma and British Columbia. Monitoring of a test well
site in Greene County, PA by the DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory
detected triggered movement on a previously unidentified fault more than 600 m
(2,000 ft.) above the hydraulic fracture target zone (Hammack et al. 2014). These
studies have also found that hydraulic fracturing is associated with a slow-slip seismicity phenomenon called “tremor,” where the rocks adjust to stress more slowly
and deform in a plastic rather than brittle manner. Tremor has been described as
being similar to the creaking of a floorboard, whereas a conventional earthquake is
akin to the snapping of a twig.
Most studies have concluded that risks of induced seismicity from hydraulic
fracturing are low for shale development in North America. However, concerns
about fracking and earthquakes persist among populations in shale development
areas like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere.
References
Clarke, H., Eisner, L., Styles, P., & Turner, P. (2014). Felt seismicity associated with shale gas
hydraulic fracturing: The first documented example in Europe. Geophysical Research Letters,
41(23), 8308–8314.
Davies, R., Foulger, G., Bindley, A., & Styles, P. (2013). Induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of hydrocarbons. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 45, 171–185.
Hammack, R., Harbert, W., Sharma, S., Stewart, B., Capo, R., Wall, A., Wells, A., Diehl, R.,
Blaushild, D., Sams, J., & Veloski, G. (2014). An evaluation of fracture growth and gas/
fluid migration as horizontal Marcellus shale gas Wells are hydraulically fractured in Greene
County, Pennsylvania. NETL-TRS-3-2014; EPAct technical report series; U.S. Department of
Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory: Pittsburgh, PA, 76 p.
Healy, J. H., Rubey, W. W., Griggs, D. T., & Raleigh, C. B. (1968). The Denver earthquakes.
Science, 161(3848), 1301–1310.
HEI (Health Effects Institute). (2019). Human exposure to unconventional oil and gas development: A literature survey for research planning: Special report 2 (Draft for Public Comment):
Boston, HEI-Energy Research Committee, 108 p. www.hei-energy.org
Ihlenfeld, W.J. II. (2012). Chesapeake Appalachia pleads guilty to clean water act violations.
Press release issued by Office of the United States Attorney, Northern District of West Virginia,
October 5, 2012, 1 p.
Llenos, A. M., & Michael, A. J. (2013). Modeling earthquake rate changes in Oklahoma and
Arkansas: possible signatures of induced seismicity. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of
America, 103, 2850–2861.
McCully, P. (1996). Silenced rivers: The ecology and politics of large dams. London: Zed Books
Ltd.. 350 p.
Nordeng, S. (2010). A brief history of oil production from the Bakken formation in the Williston
Basin. GeoNews, January 2010, North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, 37(1), 5–9.
Soeder, D. J. (2017). Unconventional: The development of natural gas from the Marcellus shale
(GSA special paper 527). Boulder, CO: Geological Society of America Books. 143 p.
Soeder, D. J., & Borglum, S. J. (2019). The fossil fuel revolution: Shale gas and tight oil.
Amsterdam: Elsevier. 354 p. (ISBN: 9780128153970).
USDOE. (2019). North Dakota natural gas flaring and venting regulations: Fact sheet, DOE
Office of Fossil Energy, Office of Oil and Natural Gas, 2 p. https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/
files/2019/08/f66/North%20Dakota.pdf
7 Effects on Landscapes
In North America, possible induced seismicity has been reported from hydraulic
fracturing activities in Oklahoma and British Columbia. Monitoring of a test well
site in Greene County, PA by the DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory
detected triggered movement on a previously unidentified fault more than 600 m
(2,000 ft.) above the hydraulic fracture target zone (Hammack et al. 2014). These
studies have also found that hydraulic fracturing is associated with a slow-slip seismicity phenomenon called “tremor,” where the rocks adjust to stress more slowly
and deform in a plastic rather than brittle manner. Tremor has been described as
being similar to the creaking of a floorboard, whereas a conventional earthquake is
akin to the snapping of a twig.
Most studies have concluded that risks of induced seismicity from hydraulic
fracturing are low for shale development in North America. However, concerns
about fracking and earthquakes persist among populations in shale development
areas like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and elsewhere.
References
Clarke, H., Eisner, L., Styles, P., & Turner, P. (2014). Felt seismicity associated with shale gas
hydraulic fracturing: The first documented example in Europe. Geophysical Research Letters,
41(23), 8308–8314.
Davies, R., Foulger, G., Bindley, A., & Styles, P. (2013). Induced seismicity and hydraulic fracturing for the recovery of hydrocarbons. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 45, 171–185.
Hammack, R., Harbert, W., Sharma, S., Stewart, B., Capo, R., Wall, A., Wells, A., Diehl, R.,
Blaushild, D., Sams, J., & Veloski, G. (2014). An evaluation of fracture growth and gas/
fluid migration as horizontal Marcellus shale gas Wells are hydraulically fractured in Greene
County, Pennsylvania. NETL-TRS-3-2014; EPAct technical report series; U.S. Department of
Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory: Pittsburgh, PA, 76 p.
Healy, J. H., Rubey, W. W., Griggs, D. T., & Raleigh, C. B. (1968). The Denver earthquakes.
Science, 161(3848), 1301–1310.
HEI (Health Effects Institute). (2019). Human exposure to unconventional oil and gas development: A literature survey for research planning: Special report 2 (Draft for Public Comment):
Boston, HEI-Energy Research Committee, 108 p. www.hei-energy.org
Ihlenfeld, W.J. II. (2012). Chesapeake Appalachia pleads guilty to clean water act violations.
Press release issued by Office of the United States Attorney, Northern District of West Virginia,
October 5, 2012, 1 p.
Llenos, A. M., & Michael, A. J. (2013). Modeling earthquake rate changes in Oklahoma and
Arkansas: possible signatures of induced seismicity. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of
America, 103, 2850–2861.
McCully, P. (1996). Silenced rivers: The ecology and politics of large dams. London: Zed Books
Ltd.. 350 p.
Nordeng, S. (2010). A brief history of oil production from the Bakken formation in the Williston
Basin. GeoNews, January 2010, North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, 37(1), 5–9.
Soeder, D. J. (2017). Unconventional: The development of natural gas from the Marcellus shale
(GSA special paper 527). Boulder, CO: Geological Society of America Books. 143 p.
Soeder, D. J., & Borglum, S. J. (2019). The fossil fuel revolution: Shale gas and tight oil.
Amsterdam: Elsevier. 354 p. (ISBN: 9780128153970).
USDOE. (2019). North Dakota natural gas flaring and venting regulations: Fact sheet, DOE
Office of Fossil Energy, Office of Oil and Natural Gas, 2 p. https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/
files/2019/08/f66/North%20Dakota.pdf
7 Effects on Landscapes