Oklahoma earthquakes today amounted to a total of 11 minor ones over the weekend, as recorded the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS first recorded seven small Oklahoma earthquakes today in a span of just 14 hours, but over the weekend the number of small quakes which shook central Oklahoma grew to 11.
The unusually large number of the recent Oklahoma earthquakes today has renewed public and scientific speculation that the area's oil and gas drilling boom is to be blamed for the increase in seismic activity, reports RT.com. The oil and gas industries reportedly utilize the controversial hydraulic fracturing, or more known as fracking in their methods.
Apparently, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas has already gotten used to seeing an increase in their earthquakes, and the eleven minor Oklahoma earthquakes today are just a part of the increasing number. Some scientists have since connected the oil and gas drilling method known as fracking to the increase in the quakes, as well as the wells in which the industry disposes of its wastewater.
From Saturday evening to Sunday morning in a 14-hour stretch, the US Geological Survey recorded a total of seven small quakes ranging from magnitude 2.6 to 2.9 in northeast Oklahoma. The Sunday quakes were centered in the Guthrie, Jones and Langston areas, 15 miles to 30 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. According to the USGS, the Oklahoma earthquakes today were recorded between 7:57 p.m. Saturday and 9:51 a.m. Sunday.
Fortunately, no injuries or damage were reported, according the Associated Press.
The seven Oklahoma earthquakes today were soon followed by four other quakes. which includes one of a 4.3-magnitude near Langston happening shortly after noon on Saturday. The three other quakes occurred Saturday morning, ranging from magnitude 2.9 to 3.2.
According to Tulsa World, all eleven Oklahoma earthquakes today have caused no reports of major damage or injuries.
Scientific evidence linking the Oklahoma earthquakes today to fracking developments in the middle of the the current domestic energy boom has increased, according to reports.
Despite scientists' careful research which rules out many natural causes, many researchers still believe that injection wells used to dispose of hydraulic fracking wastewater has contribute to the heightened number to the Oklahoma earthquakes today.
According to the Huffington Post, seismologists explained that fracking involves blasting water, sand and chemicals deep into underground rock formations to free oil and gas. This method, though effective, reportedly causes microquakes which are rarely strong enough to register on monitoring equipment.
However, the immense wastewater generated by fracking, which is pumped into injection wells thousands of feet underground, are worrying scientists as they could trigger stronger quakes by increasing underground pressures and lubricating faults.
According to the AP, another concern among scientists is that is whether injection well operators could be pumping either too much water into the ground or pumping it at exceedingly high pressures.
In the recent annual meeting of the Seismological Society of America (SSA) in May, scientists said that the storage of toxic drilling wastewater in deep wells under the earth, coupled with fracking's other processes, is ultimately changing the pressure upon existing faults. Thus, more frequent and larger quakes are now unavoidable in the future. The Oklahoma earthquakes today can probably be included as one of the devastating effects of fracking on the current seismic trend.
According to a recent study, the majority of the 2,500 earthquakes which Oklahoma has experienced in the last five years are associated with drilling maneuvers such as fracking. In addition, researchers also found that fracking may be another reason for earthquakes which occur 20 miles away from drilling and waste deposit sites.
Scientific American reports that the Oklahoma earthquakes today already amounted to 230 in 2014 alone. Some of the quakes have reportedly registered at magnitudes of 3.0 or higher. Compared to years before 2008 where Okla. has only seen an average of one earthquake with the magnitude of 3.0 or higher a year, the Oklahoma earthquakes today is a serious cause for alarm.
There has also been a recent report published earlier in the month by the journal Science. According to the report, researchers from Cornell University and the University of Colorado found that roughly 20 percent of all the earthquakes occurring in central and eastern United States have been caused by activities from four fracking wells situated near the town of Jones, Oklahoma. The research has also found fracking to be linked to different hazards, apart from the Oklahoma earthquakes today. These hazards include underground water contamination, exacerbation of drought conditions and a host of health concerns for humans and the local environment.
So it seems that it's not only scientists who are noticing the disastrous effects of unnatural methods such as fracking. According to Tulsa World, last month, hundreds of central Oklahoma residents already met with regulators and research geologists in Edmond, hoping to urge the ban or severe restriction of the disposal wells.
Oklahoma earthquakes today, because of their unnatural frequency, have caused many to be more vigilant in monitoring whether they are caused naturally or are man-made. Research seismologist Austin Holland with the Oklahoma Geological Survey said that his agency is closely monitoring the quakes to determine their causes. Holland added that the same drilling methods have been utilized in the state for years, but the frequency of the earthquakes has only become a problem after the year 2009.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
