Recent Earthquakes Raise Concerns in Permian Basin – Houston Public Media

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USGS maps show dozens of earthquakes recorded in Scurry County this week.

Following Monday’s 4.9 magnitude earthquake, northeastern Scurry County and northwestern Fisher County were shaken by a series of tremors. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed six earthquakes in West Texas on Friday, the largest of which was a magnitude 5.1. The epicenter was near Hermley, Texas, in Scurry County, about 60 miles west-northwest of Abilene. Moderate to strong shaking was reported near the epicenter, with very little damage possible. Mild shaking was reported in North Texas, where damage is unlikely.

These events have raised questions about the role that the oil and gas industry may be playing in the increase in earthquakes. Although most induced earthquakes are not directly caused by hydraulic fracturing, the recent increase may be linked to the disposal of waste fluids from oil production.

“The practice of deep injection of wastewater from oil fields, known as brine disposal, has the strongest association with increased earthquake rates and the largest earthquakes in recent years,” says Peter Hennings, a research professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology and principal investigator of the Center for Injection and Earthquake Research.

Hydraulic fracturing projects that inject wastewater, a byproduct of unconventional oil and gas development, can interact with existing geological faults, Hennings explains. This destabilizes them and causes earthquakes, he says. While tens of thousands of injection wells are operating in the Permian Basin, only a small percentage have been directly linked to induced earthquakes.

Justin Rubenstein, a research geophysicist at the USGS Earthquake Center, spoke about the broader trend of increased seismic activity in the region. “West Texas, particularly the Permian Basin, has seen a significant increase in seismic activity since about 2019,” Rubenstein said. “Today’s earthquake near Snyder is the fifth magnitude 5 or greater earthquake we’ve had since 2020. We believe these earthquakes are caused by human activity, particularly oil and gas operations.”

Rubinstein noted that while the earthquake rate has remained steady since 2021, with earthquakes of magnitude 100 to 200 or more occurring annually, the possibility of larger quakes cannot be ruled out. But he points out a positive side: “Fortunately, most of these earthquakes have occurred in rural areas, reducing the risk to populated areas.”

Dino Huang, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, works with the Texas Earthquake Network, or TexNet, to conduct 24/7 monitoring of seismic activity.

Huang noted that the recent earthquakes are consistent with findings in several publications that suggest a link between oil and gas activities and increased earthquakes in the Permian Basin, “and the earthquakes that occurred this morning and Monday are no exception.”

While experts say induced earthquakes have been occurring in the area since the 1970s, they can’t accurately predict how much more seismic activity will happen in the future. Scurry County officials are working with the Texas Department of Emergency Management to monitor the situation. They’re urging residents who have experienced property damage to report it through a form available in English and Spanish.

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