In the past 48 hours, Texas has been hit by a surprising sequence of earthquakes, raising questions about what’s behind the sudden uptick in seismic activity.
The latest tremor, measuring 2.5 in magnitude, is suspected to be an aftershock of a previous 4.0 magnitude quake that struck around 10:30 p.m. CST on Wednesday.
This follows a series of quakes originating from Hermleigh, a small town in northern Texas.
The first major quake, a 4.9 magnitude event, hit on Tuesday and has since been followed by multiple aftershocks.
The unusual swarm of earthquakes has drawn the attention of scientists, who suspect that Texas’s extensive oil and gas extraction activities might be the cause.
Justin Rubinstein, a geophysicist with the US Geological Survey (USGS), pointed out that these quakes are likely linked to oil and gas extraction practices.
The initial 4.9 magnitude quake on Monday night was notable as the eighth strongest in Texas history. Its impact was felt widely, affecting about 1.6 million people in places as distant as Austin, southern Oklahoma, and New Mexico.
This was followed by a 4.4 magnitude aftershock and another quake of 3.1 magnitude the next morning.
The region experienced further quakes on Thursday evening, including another 4.0 magnitude shock and a subsequent 2.5 magnitude aftershock.
Experts are now pointing to hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, as a major factor.
Fracking involves injecting wastewater into the ground to release natural gas, and this process can increase pressure on fault lines, potentially triggering earthquakes.
Texas, a leading state in fracking, has seen its number of active oil and gas wells grow from 279,615 in February 2017 to 373,133 by 2023.
Increasing Seismic Activity
Since 2019, the area around Hermleigh has experienced a notable rise in seismic activity, which the USGS attributes to fracking and other extraction techniques.
These methods involve drilling deep into the earth and using high-pressure water to create small explosions that free gas and oil. When wastewater from these processes is injected back into the ground, it can cause additional pressure on faults.
Expert Opinions
Moira Plantier, a geology professor at Hardin-Simmons University, notes that human activities like wastewater injection are likely exacerbating weaknesses in the bedrock, leading to the recent surge in earthquakes.
Similar issues have been reported in states like Colorado, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Arkansas, all of which have experienced quakes linked to fracking.
Regulatory Response
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long acknowledged the connection between fracking and increased earthquake activity.
Oklahoma, for example, saw an average of more than 300 quakes annually since 2010, compared to just 21 per year between 1967 and 2000.
In response, Texas’s Railroad Commission (RRC), which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, has taken steps to mitigate the impact.
In January, the RRC suspended 23 permits for wastewater injection after finding that these practices were contributing to fault line ruptures.
Additionally, the RRC is considering a ban on wastewater injection in areas that experience earthquakes of 4.5 magnitude or higher and exploring alternative uses for wastewater.
Dr. Peter Hennings from Austin’s Bureau of Economic Geology emphasizes the need for better management of wastewater injection to prevent earthquakes.
He suggests that the recent quakes may be a result of excessive wastewater injection in the affected area.
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