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Friday, April 20, 2012

Fracking earthquakes

The industry that employs fracking to extract oil and gas from fields in Taranaki poo-pooed the suggestion that hydraulic fracking caused earthquakes. Their be-suited men went to the trouble of coming to Southland to present their rebuttals to claims about fracking that were appearing in the media, print and electronic, at the time. They claimed 'fearmongery' and 'no substance'. They went to great pains to explain that we had nothing to fear with regard aquifer contamination, as their bores were well wrapped in a double-skin of concrete and there could be no leakage and they were openly dismissive of the earthquakes-follow-fracking claim in particular. It has transpired that earthquakes do in fact follow some fracking activities and the evidence of this, collected overseas, has caused fracking to be banned in many countries and states beyond our shores.  Christchurch City Council have, as you will know, banned future fracking in their area. The Kaikoura District Council appears to have done the same. Supporters of the extractive process now say that the quakes are small and of no consequence. SPC, a regular commentator on Frogblog who has a particularly astute and agile mind, makes the very good point that concrete well-casing and small earthquakes don't go 'well' together. He/she says:

" It is pretty obvious that fracking causes small earthquakes and that could damage the well and exacerbate contamination risk to water supplies. The risk is greater whenever there are existing fault-lines with existing pressure build up to release and that energy will be released when there there is fracking going on/right where there is a well that can contaminate water supplies."

That's clear thinking right there, SPC and the point you've made a critical one, in my opinion. I'd be very interested if any reader here would like to have a crack at the validity of that claim. If nothing comes forth, I'll try it through the 'letters' column and see if anyone in Newspaperland can counter it.
All credit to SPC, naturally.

7 comments:

Shunda barunda said...

The moon does it too, and witches, and fat people.

Boo!!

Did I scare ya?

Fracking sux, that's for sure .......but so do ignorant people that encourage ignorance.........

robertguyton said...

What a vacuous statement, Shunda. Show me, if you can, why we shouldn't be concerned that small earthquakes could fracture well casings that pass through aquifers, then I'll give your claims some credence.

Animal said...

you commenter says the term 'its pretty obvious'. If I have a problem with the statement, it's this bit mainly. Actually it's not pretty obvious hence this blog alone commenting on it let alone the thousands of blogs around the world.

Does fracking actually force the liquids in under high pressure, or does it replace the oils or gas with a heavier liquid?

robertguyton said...

Animal - there is a great deal of evidence now that shows that small earthquakes are set off by the fracking action. I'll post one paper shortly, for your edification.
Yes, fracking does force liquids under high pressure. Those pressurized liquids, along with sand and chemicals added to 'hold open' the fractures, fracture rock that is otherwise 'closed' and creates pathways for the gas/oil to flow out through. Crack, crack, crackety, crack, it must go, down there in the stoney depths.
Like to have a go at countering the 'earthquakes endanger well-casings' argument, assuming the earthquake claims are true, which they are?

Anonymous said...

Geez, animal, the guys were wearing suits.
Criminals wear suits to Court for the same reason. It is the only bit of credibility they have got.
Get with the programme.

Bushshirt clad Animal said...

Thanks anon for clearing that up. By the way, if you happen to see a council pic of RG he is wearing a suit in it.
Guess Anon has the measure of you RG. Best I lend you one of my bush shirts.

Anonymous said...

IF the earthquake theory is true, then it must be a good thing.

For an earthquake to be 'triggered' by fracking, then there had to be stress already built up in the rock being fracked. If it was not released by fracking it would build up until the energy stored in the stressed rock overcame the rocks resistance and caused an even bigger earthquake.

Frankly I think the moon is more likely to cause earthquakes than fracking.

The quarry in the hills overlooking Lower Hutt regularly 'causes' earthquakes. In other words felt earth tremors that are not earthquakes.

Paranormal