Oklahoma breaks record with hundreds of earthquakes after fracking intensifies

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Oklahoma breaks record with hundreds of earthquakes after fracking intensifies

Opponents of the hydraulic fracturing shout during a demonstration at the site of a Democratic party fundraiser March 20, 2014 in New York.  (AFP Photo/Don Emmert)Opponents of the hydraulic fracturing shout during a demonstration at the site of a Democratic party fundraiser March 20, 2014 in New York.  (AFP Photo/Don Emmert)

Source: RT
A series of earthquakes over the weekend continued to break alarming records of seismic activity in Oklahoma, which some scientists say is linked to increased fracking operations in the state.

According to Reuters, six earthquakes struck central Oklahoma  between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, including a 3.8  magnitude tremor that was recorded around 7:42 a.m. Prior to this  quake, three others hit the area and “rocked houses” in multiple  communities: one at a magnitude of 2.9, and two others at 2.6 and  2.6 magnitude.

The day before on Friday, March 4, meanwhile, a 3.4 magnitude  quake in the same area was followed up by a 3.0 magnitude event  in the evening.

Speaking with Reuters, seismologist Austin Holland of the  Oklahoma Geological Survey said that not even four months into  2014, the state has already experienced more earthquakes (252)  than it did the entirety of 2013 – itself a record-breaking year  with 222 quakes recorded.

“We have already crushed last year’s record for number of  earthquakes,” he said.

Additionally, Holland added, “We have had almost as many  magnitude 3 and greater already in 2014 than we did for all of  2013.”

The spike in seismic activity has scientists concerned that the  sharp rise in earthquakes is related to controversial oil  drilling procedures such as fracking. This process – which  consists of blasting highly pressurized water, sand, and other  chemicals into layers of rock in an attempt to free oil and gas –   has been connected to earthquake activity since wastewater is  then pumped into underground wells that can cause friction near  fault lines.

As noted in a recent report by the US Geological Survey, the  number of earthquakes occurring in Oklahoma has risen to about 40  a year from 2009 – 2013, compared to three or fewer from 1975 –  2008. This data came alongside numbers for the rest of the United  States as well, which saw a six-fold increase in earthquakes in  2011 when compared to 2000.

As RT reported in late March, state officials from  Ohio, Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas have initiated coordinated  efforts to discuss strengthening regulations and standards  regarding fracking operations, including possibly requiring oil  companies to record the pressure in waste disposal wells every  day instead of every month.

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