Although I was born in Texas, I’ve lived in Arkansas for about 18 years. In all of those 18 years, I have never felt an earthquake. I mean, come on. An earthquake? In Arkansas? Until recently, I had no idea that there was a (somewhat) major fault line only a couple of hours away. But really. This isn’t California. The danger that comes with living in a place that has numerous earthquakes a day hadn’t occurred to me... until three nights ago when my world was rocked by the largest earthquake Arkansas had seen in 35 years.
Less than two minutes after the worst of the first earthquake I had ever experienced, Facebook exploded with status updates about it. Who was to blame? Was the New Madrid fault line acting up? Or are the natural gas drills to blame?
According to fairwarning.org, an online news site about safety, health, and corporate conduct, researchers can not make a link between the earthquakes and the hydraulic fracking that is taking place in the area (par. 5). However, Scott Ausbrooks, a geohazards supervisor for the Arkansas Geological Survey, says that, “geologists don't believe the production wells are the problem, but rather the injection wells that are used to dispose of "frack" water when it can no longer be re-used. The wastewater is pressurized and injected into the ground” (huffingtonpost.com par. 9). Additional information about wastewater and whether it is illegal or not can be found at this blog.
Any news site or geological website that you can find will tell you almost the same thing; there is not enough information at this time to place blame on anyone. Central Arkansas has a history of small earthquake clusters, so it would not be surprising for history to repeat itself. However, the locations of the earthquakes and the locations of the gas drills is a little bit suspicious.
Regardless of who is to blame, I know I am not alone in wanting these earthquakes to cease their rumbling!
Photo by: danielfoster437
Sources: http://www.fairwarning.org/2011/03/arkansas-quakes-possibly-linked-to-gas-drilling-disposal-operations/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/guy-earthquake-swarm-arkansas_n_824497.html
Less than two minutes after the worst of the first earthquake I had ever experienced, Facebook exploded with status updates about it. Who was to blame? Was the New Madrid fault line acting up? Or are the natural gas drills to blame?
According to fairwarning.org, an online news site about safety, health, and corporate conduct, researchers can not make a link between the earthquakes and the hydraulic fracking that is taking place in the area (par. 5). However, Scott Ausbrooks, a geohazards supervisor for the Arkansas Geological Survey, says that, “geologists don't believe the production wells are the problem, but rather the injection wells that are used to dispose of "frack" water when it can no longer be re-used. The wastewater is pressurized and injected into the ground” (huffingtonpost.com par. 9). Additional information about wastewater and whether it is illegal or not can be found at this blog.
Any news site or geological website that you can find will tell you almost the same thing; there is not enough information at this time to place blame on anyone. Central Arkansas has a history of small earthquake clusters, so it would not be surprising for history to repeat itself. However, the locations of the earthquakes and the locations of the gas drills is a little bit suspicious.
Regardless of who is to blame, I know I am not alone in wanting these earthquakes to cease their rumbling!
Photo by: danielfoster437
Sources: http://www.fairwarning.org/2011/03/arkansas-quakes-possibly-linked-to-gas-drilling-disposal-operations/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/guy-earthquake-swarm-arkansas_n_824497.html
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