Reports of earthquakes in Kansas have shot up recently, particularly in the state's south-central region. Now, scientists are connecting them to the disposal of wastewater that is a byproduct of the oil-and-gas extraction process.
Rick Miller, geophysicist and senior scientist for the Kansas Geological Survey, told the Lawrence Journal-World, “we can say there is a strong correlation between the disposal of saltwater and the earthquakes.”
During hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” operators use a mixture of saltwater and chemicals to break underground rock formations in order to release oil and gas. Then, to get rid of the water, operators inject it deep into disposal wells.
The comments linking that to the Kansas quakes quickly fueled opposition to the drilling practice from its loyal foes, including the Sierra Club, whose local chapter is using the recent finding to call for a moratorium.
According to the Lawrence Journal-World, Joe Spease, chairman of the Kansas Sierra Club's fracking committee and owner of a renewable energy company, said the state’s chapter supports a bill, not yet introduced, to impose the moratorium to give the industry time to develop a solution to the saltwater disposal issue.
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Fracking is not a new practice, but the recent spike in seismic activity is. According to the Kansas Geological Survey, the state recorded more than 120 quakes in 2014, up from none in 2012.
Gov. Sam Brownback, appointed a task force a year ago to study the problem. Its report, released in September, said there is not enough evidence to link Kansas earthquakes to the hydraulic fracturing process.
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