Researchers call for more earthquake monitoring in Los Angeles news

Louisiana should establish seismic sites in the northern part of the state and elsewhere to track the increasing frequency and strength of earthquakes believed to be caused by water disposal sites used for oil and gas activity, according to a Tulane University geophysicist.

The recent spate of small but noticeable earthquakes that rocked the Louisiana-Texas line is very likely part of a years-long phenomenon that resembles similar tremors in other geologically stable parts of the country that are lubricated by hydraulic fracturing wastewater injection, and should be studied more closely, according to By Tulane Professor of Geophysics Cynthia Ebinger. She added that setting up seismographs, especially in northwest Louisiana where earthquakes are frequent, could help mitigate potential risks from human-caused tremors.

“It's not about trying to stop the activity, it's about trying to make sure it doesn't cause any harm,” Ebinger said.

At least six small, surface earthquakes have been recorded in northwest Louisiana since mid-December, according to USGS data. At least two other earthquakes were also recorded at that time above the state line near an unconfirmed area in Texas.

Such earthquakes have become relatively common in the region since about 2012, when the city of Thompson, Texas, shook from a 4.8-magnitude quake. Researchers believe the earthquakes are caused by human activity, specifically the process of disposing of salty wastewater from hydraulic fracturing by injecting it back into the ground. These injection sites have been linked to similar earthquakes in West Texas, Oklahoma and elsewhere, and researchers like Eppinger say the same activity is now likely shaking Caddo Parish.

“We have been watching, and it is not surprising that the earthquakes continue,” Ebinger said. “The concern is that the magnitude of the earthquakes is increasing.” “We mostly had small meteors…and now we get magnitude 3 on a more regular basis.”

In a 2022 report on earthquakes in Louisiana, Eppinger and other researchers reported 40 earthquakes in the northwest Louisiana region between June 2019 and March 2022 ranging in magnitude from 0.78 to 3.04.

A cluster of earthquakes rocked Red River Parish last year, and several small quakes occurred in January, April and June. The strongest earthquake of the group was the 3.6 magnitude earthquake in Hall Summit on January 27.

Only two of the six earthquakes in Caddo Parish recorded by the USGS since December were recorded at magnitudes below 3. The last quake was Sunday night, a magnitude 3 quake with an epicenter about four miles southeast of Mooringsport.

Magnitude 3 earthquakes are large enough to be felt but generally not large enough to damage infrastructure. But Eppinger said that doesn't mean there's no threat of damage: When the ground shakes, there will always be some impact.

“They're giving us messages. They're signals that we need to listen to,” Ebinger said. “It won't cause superficial ruptures or anything like that, but we need to monitor. If these swarms continue and get bigger, the story will change,” he added.

Danger of induced earthquakes

Although naturally occurring earthquakes can occur in areas of relative geological stability, such as northwest Louisiana, that's not what scientists think happens. The nature of these induced earthquakes could put Louisiana's groundwater at risk, Eppinger said.

“Wastewater injection areas associated with extractive industries are now areas with the largest release of seismic energy across the contiguous United States. The increase in shale gas exploration and extraction that requires the transportation of massive amounts of fluids is largely responsible for changing seismic activity,” the report reads. Ebinger 2022 “Shallow earthquake depths indicate a risk of groundwater contamination along permeable fault zones, if they are connected to an injection horizon.”

Disposal sites used by the oil and gas industry pump huge amounts of salt water into the ground over long periods of time. Water increases the pressure of underground fluids that migrate over time, increasing the likelihood of an earthquake.

“Current models of induced earthquakes indicate that when over long periods of time we put large amounts of water into the Earth's interior, we change the weight of the rocks. We're saturating all that rock, and the volume is so large now that there's pressure on some,” Ebinger said. These faults are active and enable them to move causing slippage.” “Since 2008, various areas have been exposed to hydraulic fracturing and an increase in this produced water. “This has been increasing since 2008 with the expansion of hydraulic fracturing.”

Likewise, the USGS sees injection wells as the most likely cause of earthquakes in Oklahoma, Texas and elsewhere in the United States.

“The recent increase in earthquakes in the central United States is due primarily to the disposal of waste fluids that are a byproduct of oil production,” the USGS website states. “Wastewater disposal wells typically operate for longer periods and inject a much larger volume of fluid than is injected during the hydraulic fracturing process, making them more likely to cause earthquakes. In Oklahoma, which has the highest number of induced earthquakes in the United States, it could 2% of earthquakes are linked to hydraulic fracturing operations.

Clusters of short-period earthquakes now typical of northwest Louisiana and eastern Texas — called “swarms” — suggest they are linked to fluids in the Earth, not active tectonic fault lines. Similar swarms can arise from magma beneath volcanoes.

The danger from such swarms is that cracks in the ground will move upward and allow the injected wastewater to reach and contaminate aquifers and groundwater, Eppinger said.

“That's really the main concern, and that's why they need to be monitored. With the devices nearby, we'll be able to do that, as well as monitor groundwater wells,” Ebinger said. “We have to be vigilant when we start having earthquakes.”

Monitoring stations

In their 2022 report, the researchers recommended installing “a network of five to 10 cellular telemetry stations for automatic earthquake detection and regular assessments of groundwater quality in the Coushatta, Mansfield, and Texas border regions.”

“This is the way Texas does it,” Eppinger said. The Lone Star State has an extensive network of earthquake monitoring stations that Louisiana does not have, she said.

Eppinger said the monitoring stations called for in the researchers' report have not yet been built. Negotiations with the state to build these stations have stalled over the past year, Ebinger said.

“We were planning to set up seven stations within the state and then be able to set up some mobile stations to deploy if we were hit by swarms of earthquakes like what happened in Caddo,” she said. “Between the Coushatta and Caddo is the busiest in the entire state.”

The researchers recommended using data from the new Louisiana stations in conjunction with observing systems in Texas and the USGS.

“Our recommendation is that Louisiana install a network of 5 to 10 cellular seismic stations and should use existing software, SeisComp3, to create an automatic earthquake detection system. Ideally, Louisiana would exchange data with Texas and Arkansas to ensure earthquake monitoring,” the report said. : “Injection activities across state borders, and the establishment of a regional partnership to mitigate risks.”

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos