Texas just experienced its biggest earthquake in decades, and fracking is the prime suspect

A fracking site is located on the outskirts of town in the Permian Basin oil field on January 21, 2016 in the oil town of Midland, Texas. Photo: Spencer Platt (Getty Images)

The Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, is investigating a 5.4-magnitude earthquake that rocked communities in West Texas last Wednesday, the Texas Tribune reports. Hydraulic fracturing, or hydraulic fracturing, is a common drilling technique in the area that is known to cause earthquakes.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred on November 16, just west of Pecos, Texas. It was the largest earthquake the state has seen since 1995 and was felt as far as El Paso. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency is trying to understand if this was a naturally occurring earthquake or if it was caused by fracking sewage. Disposal of fracking sewage has greatly increased the number of earthquakes in Texas. Seismic activity is becoming particularly more common around the Permian Basin in West Texas, where oil and gas production is concentrated, according to the Texas Tribune.

During fracking, oil companies inject a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into the Earth’s crust. This fracturing the shale formation, which then allows companies to extract natural gas and oil from deep within the earth. Many oil and gas companies dispose of this polluted wastewater in wells deep underground. The pressure from these wells can trigger nearby dormant fault lines, causing earthquakes. Much of the seismic activity recorded around areas like Picos and El Paso has been linked to these contaminated underwater wells, according to research from the USGS.

The Texas Tribune previously reported that the number of earthquakes in the state doubled in 2021. According to data from the Office of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin, there have been more than 200 earthquakes rated 3 and higher. Only 95 earthquakes were reported in Texas in 2020, according to bureau data.

Communities near fracking sites are at risk for more than just the roaring earth. A study this past January linked fracking to premature deaths for people who live near the sites. It is known that fracking poses significant health risks: sites contaminate nearby water sources, and cancer-causing pollutants leach into the air and water. Fracking can also release PFAS into the environment, chemicals linked to a variety of health issues.

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