Louisiana earthquake swarm calls for Tulane monitoring

NEW ORLEANS – A series of unusual earthquakes in northwest Louisiana, called a quake swarm, has prompted geologist Cynthia Eppinger of Tulane University to deploy seismic equipment near Coushatta, where at least 14 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 2.5 have been recorded since December. According to the USGS, the latest cluster of seismic activity included the largest inland earthquake ever documented in the state.

Eppinger, the Marshall Hebb Chair of Geology in Tulane University’s College of Science and Engineering, installed the equipment to help researchers better understand a series of tremors in Red River and DeSoto parishes. The most significant event occurred on March 5 and had a magnitude of 4.9.

The cluster of earthquakes drew attention in part because they lie within the Hinesville-Bossier Shale Formation, one of the largest natural gas producing areas in the United States and a major driver of Louisiana’s energy economy.

“Scientists at the USGS have used new data from instruments we recently installed to transmit earthquakes,” Ebinger said. “They occur in crystalline rocks much deeper than any industrial activity and along ancient fault lines.”

Researchers say the newly published monitoring suite will help scientists determine the location, depth and movement of the faults responsible for the earthquakes as the sequence continues.

Five additional earthquakes were recorded in the latest group, and scientists say activity could continue as researchers collect more data.

Understanding underground activity

The investigation also highlights the growing scientific focus on how underground energy activity interacts with natural fault systems.

North Louisiana sits atop the Haynesville Shale, one of the nation’s largest natural gas producing regions and a major supplier to the Gulf Coast’s expanding liquefied natural gas export industry.

Scientists have documented cases in other states where wastewater generated during oil and gas extraction and injected back underground can trigger earthquakes under certain geological conditions.

“We have learned across the United States and elsewhere that injecting wastewater from oil and gas extraction into deep wells can cause earthquakes,” Ebinger said. “Over time, the additional weight of the injected water can put pressure on old faults and cause them to reactivate.”

Researchers stress that determining whether human activity plays a role in the Louisiana earthquakes will require additional analysis.

“The question of natural versus human-caused earthquakes does not have a simple yes or no answer,” Ebinger said. “But the increase in the number and magnitude of earthquakes over the past 15 years since we have been monitoring locally suggests that something is changing.”

Mapping Louisiana’s subsurface

Ebinger leads Tulane’s Laboratory for Active Geophysics and Tectonics Research (GATR), which studies the forces that deform the Earth’s crust and shape tectonic plate boundaries. Her team’s work builds on previous monitoring efforts throughout Louisiana.

Between 2019 and 2022, geologists installed seismometers across parts of the state to track precise ground movements and establish a baseline for earthquake activity.

“These devices measure vertical and horizontal ground movements that are too small to be detected at the surface,” Ebinger said. “Our goal was to create a baseline of seismic activity to inform state planners and better understand Louisiana’s subsurface structure.”

This monitoring revealed clusters of small earthquakes and suggested that activity in some areas may be increasing. A new set of Tulane instruments installed in October captured sequences of recent earthquakes, providing scientists with detailed information about the events. The devices measure earthquake locations, depths, fault movement directions, and ground acceleration — and people may feel shaking on the surface.

“Due to USGS’s rapid response, the Tulane data are now being monitored remotely and automatically transmitted to a national automated system that collects and uses information from Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and throughout the United States,” Eppinger said. “This allows scientists to quickly analyze the locations of earthquakes and ground vibrations and then combine these results with ancient data to visualize subsurface faults.”

Earthquake swarm risk assessment

Researchers are now using aftershocks and other measurements to map the fault systems responsible for earthquakes and improve risk assessments.

“We use aftershocks to map a fault plane or multiple fault planes,” Ebinger said. “We also measure ground acceleration so engineers can use this information to segment hazardous areas and improve ground vibration maps.”

For residents and businesses, the main concern is not just whether earthquakes occur, but how strong the ground movement will be.

“Earthquakes happen all the time,” Ebinger said. “The important factors are the size of the earthquake and the resulting ground acceleration. Fortunately, we now have tools to collect this important information.”

As Louisiana’s energy sector continues to expand, from natural gas production in the Hinesville Shale to emerging carbon capture and storage projects that involve injecting carbon dioxide deep into the ground, researchers say a better understanding of the state’s subsurface geology will become increasingly important for both economic development and long-term land stability.

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