Multiple earthquakes felt across Oklahoma, region

Source: NewsOK (The Oklahoman)

At least three earthquakes shook much of central Oklahoma early Saturday, rousing people from their sleep as far away as Kansas City, Mo.

A 4.7 magnitude earthquake struck at 2:12 a.m., with an epicenter about six miles north of Prague in southern Lincoln County, according to a report from the United States Geological Survey. A 3.4 magnitude aftershock was reported at 2:27 a.m. from the same location, the survey reported. The survey also reported a 2.7 magnitude quake at 2:44 a.m.

Chatter on social media sites Facebook and Twitter and NewsOK.com indicated the quake was felt as far away from the epicenter as Bethany, Oklahoma City, Norman, Tulsa, Wichita, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo.



Read more: http://newsok.com/multiple-earthquakes-felt-across-oklahoma-region/article/3620538?custom_click=headlines_widget

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More 'induced seismicity'?

I was typing a response on DU and my monitor started shaking. I thought it was a truck driving down the street. I am really surprised it didn't wake up my puppies or the birds.

i wonder if there is a difference between fracking induced earthquakes and natural occurring ones

They have a rough life in my home...eating, treats, playing, pooping/peeing....it's a hard-knock life here. :)

I have three cats who enjoy a similar regimen. Except "sleeping" is included and high on their list...

Please don't tell him!!!! I swear I didn't mean to leave him out! Oh my, I have read the "cat diaries" and I know how they hold a grudge!

:)

I also wonder if fracking had anything to do with it...

the New Madrid Fault, Ruby the Liberal. Earthquakes that occur in the New Madrid Seismic Zone potentially threaten parts of seven American states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.<2>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Madrid_Seismic_Zone

However, slips in plates can occur all over the place.

along a fault line. All the quakes have been deeper (5km) than the 'known' reach of the wells (at 2km).

History of quakes in OK shows several in the last 100 years similar to today's. It's quite possible to get another 4+ before the swarm ends..
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/oklahoma/history.php

Oh well, as long as the 1%ERS (R) are grabbing a fat profit for themselves...
:sarcasm:

Betcha!

I wonder how many are "fracking" related since they have been recorded here since the late 1800's.

About a month ago, a 4.8 earthquake hit South Texas, it's epicenter being Atascosa county. Coincidence? Mayhap.

What the frack is going on there?

n/t

We really need to stop this technique until we understand better WTF is going on.

until it disrupts the college football games.


http://www.newson6.com/story/14266933/oklahoma-oil-gas-execs-paying-close-attention-to-fracking-study

I remember several from as far back as the 1950s. I doubt there is any fracking going on in this area either.
Most of the wells are out in western Oklahoma, many miles away from the epicenter of this quake.

Unless you have access to maps of underwater aquifers overlaid on the locations of disposal sites, you're just guessing.

http://greenokla.com/2011/03/oklahoma-based-companys-fracking

Oklahoma Based Company's 'Fracking' Disposal Sites Suspended
March 7, 2011
By Lisa Sharp
In January a six-month moratorium was placed on new injection wells in central Arkansas due to supposition that the wells are causing the earthquake swarm. The moratorium is to allow time to study the connection between the earthquakes and injection well sites.

There are currently four companies operating injection well sites in the area. Including two Oklahoma based companies, Chesapeake Energy based in Oklahoma City and Clarita Operating of Little Rock, Clarita’s parent company is True Energy Services based in Ada, Okla. Chesapeake and Clarita have recently agreed to temporarily suspend the use of injection wells in Arkansas.

There have been more than 800 quakes in the area in the past six months with the largest being a 4.7 quake on March 27th, 2011. Lawrence Bengal, director of the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission, said the region could possibly see quakes reaching as high as 5.0, but above 6.0 is unlikely.

Experts don’t believe any of these quakes will cause major damage but still as always advise people to be prepared for the worse. We should learn more about this issue in the coming months.

kutnews.org/post/earthquake-south-texas-fracking-fluid-fault
Oct. 20, 2011

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck an area of South Texas today that is a center point for natural gas and oil production in the Eagle Ford Shale. The quake’s epicenter was here in the unincorporated community of Campbellton in Atascosa County near Karnes County. You can see numerous wells in the county in this map from the Texas Railroad Commission. (Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly placed the epicenter in Karnes County.)

A University of Texas seismologist says hydraulic fracturing itself does not cause earthquakes. But he says earthquakes have been associated with the disposal of fracking fluids. “They pump the water back into the ground into a deep aquifer to get rid of it,” earthquake researcher Cliff Frohlich at UT’s Institute for Geophysics told KUT News.

“The quakes have been associated with the pumping of water back into the ground, not the producing of the gas,” he said, pointing to seismic activity in North Texas and in Arkansas.

In September, Arkansas banned the use of deep wells to store waste water. StateImpact Pennsylvania points to a study by Southern Methodist University and UT that linked small earthquakes in the North Texas Barnett Shale with the practice, and says the Army Corps of Engineers has expressed concern about drilling for natural gas near dams.
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If you google Arkansas and fracking and earthquakes, you'll see there were hundreds of small earthquakes which progressively increased in strength.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/15/arkansas-earthquakes-2011-fracking_n_835868.html
Arkansas Earthquakes Decline After 'Fracking' Injection Well Closures

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The number and strength of earthquakes in central Arkansas have noticeably dropped since the shutdown of two injection wells in the area, although a state researcher says it's too early to draw any conclusions.
"We have definitely noticed a reduction in the number of earthquakes, especially the larger ones," said Scott Ausbrooks, geohazards supervisor for the Arkansas Geological Survey. "It's definitely worth noting."

The Center for Earthquake Research and Information recorded around 100 earthquakes in the seven days preceding the shutdown earlier this month, including the largest quake to hit the state in 35 years – a magnitude 4.7 on Feb. 27. A dozen of the quakes had magnitudes greater than 3.0. In the days since the shutdown, there have been around 60 recorded quakes, with only one higher than a magnitude 3.0. The majority were between magnitudes 1.2 and 2.8.

The two injection wells are used to dispose of wastewater from natural-gas production. One is owned by Chesapeake Energy, and the other by Clarita Operating. They agreed March 4 to temporarily cease injection operations at the request of the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission.

The commission said preliminary studies showed evidence potentially linking injection activities with nearly 1,000 quakes in the region over the past six months.

DOD, Intelligence - all equally politicized and totally useless.