July 10, 2021

Even Shallow Wastewater Injection Can Cause Earthquakes

Even Shallow Wastewater Injection Can Cause Earthquakes

July 10, 2021

Geoscientists have found that even shallow wastewater injection - not just deep wastewater injections - can also cause widespread earthquake activity.  This conclusion goes against many geoscientists’ prior thinking, but is explained by the interaction of poroelasticity of surface flows vs. solid deformations.  The study was done  in the Delaware/Permian Basin of Western Texas which has seen an exponential rise in seismicity with increasing shale exploration.

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