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The Water Cooler
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Another quake?
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<blockquote data-quote="16colt" data-source="post: 4211157" data-attributes="member: 529"><p>Why do folks seem to think hydraulic frac’ing of wells is a new thing? Wells have been frac’ed in Oklahoma since the 50’s. The big change is horizontal drilling. These wells require much bigger fracs but still the same process. Water injection has been around since the industry began here as well. Does it play a role in earthquakes along fault lines? Perhaps. </p><p>But think about it it, when you are producing a well, you are removing fluids (oil, gas, water) from a producing zone and typically injecting the produced water back down into the ground in a non - producing zone (or perhaps the same zone). Simple material balance says there are changes taking place underground. Removing weight, pressure, and volume from the producing zone leaves open pore space in the rocks and reduces overburden pressure on everything below. Injecting it elsewhere, adds pressure and weight and causes expansion of pore space. This injected volume will take the “path of least resistance” and travel down any natural fractures in the rock that are there. Will/can movement take place causing small earthquakes? Likely. </p><p>Not thinking Oklahoma is going to quit producing wells anytime soon so I’m guessing these small earthquakes that are possibly caused by the industry will continue indefinitely. </p><p>Same as the earthquakes that occur “naturally” and have nothing to do w/ oil and gas.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="16colt, post: 4211157, member: 529"] Why do folks seem to think hydraulic frac’ing of wells is a new thing? Wells have been frac’ed in Oklahoma since the 50’s. The big change is horizontal drilling. These wells require much bigger fracs but still the same process. Water injection has been around since the industry began here as well. Does it play a role in earthquakes along fault lines? Perhaps. But think about it it, when you are producing a well, you are removing fluids (oil, gas, water) from a producing zone and typically injecting the produced water back down into the ground in a non - producing zone (or perhaps the same zone). Simple material balance says there are changes taking place underground. Removing weight, pressure, and volume from the producing zone leaves open pore space in the rocks and reduces overburden pressure on everything below. Injecting it elsewhere, adds pressure and weight and causes expansion of pore space. This injected volume will take the “path of least resistance” and travel down any natural fractures in the rock that are there. Will/can movement take place causing small earthquakes? Likely. Not thinking Oklahoma is going to quit producing wells anytime soon so I’m guessing these small earthquakes that are possibly caused by the industry will continue indefinitely. Same as the earthquakes that occur “naturally” and have nothing to do w/ oil and gas. [/QUOTE]
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