Skip to main content

Does the production of oil and gas from shales cause earthquakes? If so, how are the earthquakes related to these operations?

To produce oil and gas from shale formations, it is necessary to increase the interconnectedness of the pore space (permeability) of the shale so that the gas can flow through the rock mass and be extracted through production wells. This is usually done by hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). Fracking intentionally causes small earthquakes (magnitudes smaller than 1) to enhance permeability, but it has also been linked to larger earthquakes. The largest earthquake known to be induced by hydraulic fracturing in the United States was a M4 earthquake in Texas. In addition to natural gas, fracking fluids and saltwater trapped in the same formation as the gas are returned to the surface. These wastewaters are frequently disposed of by injection into deep wells. The injection of wastewater and saltwater into the subsurface can also cause earthquakes that are large enough to be damaging. . Wastewater disposal is a ​separate ​process in which fluid waste from oil and gas production is injected deep underground far below ground water or drinking water aquifers. The largest earthquake known to be induced by wastewater disposal was a M5.8 earthquake that occurred near Pawnee, Oklahoma in 2016.

Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

Related Content

link
Oil and Gas Wastewater Disposal Facility in West Virginia

Do all wastewater disposal wells induce earthquakes?

No. Of more than 150,000 Class II injection wells in the United States, roughly 40,000 are waste fluid disposal wells for oil and gas operations. Only a small fraction of these disposal wells have induced earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern to the public.Learn more:USGS Induced EarthquakesEPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program

link

Do all wastewater disposal wells induce earthquakes?

No. Of more than 150,000 Class II injection wells in the United States, roughly 40,000 are waste fluid disposal wells for oil and gas operations. Only a small fraction of these disposal wells have induced earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern to the public.Learn more:USGS Induced EarthquakesEPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program

Learn More
link
Image: Wastewater Disposal Facility in Colorado

Is it possible to anticipate whether a planned wastewater disposal activity will trigger earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern?

Currently, there are no methods available to do this in a definitive sense. We have developed methods that use injection information to help us determine whether injection activities might cause induced earthquakes and rule out other injection activities that are unlikely to induce earthquakes, but we cannot say either with certainty.There are a number of conditions that increase the likelihood of...

link

Is it possible to anticipate whether a planned wastewater disposal activity will trigger earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern?

Currently, there are no methods available to do this in a definitive sense. We have developed methods that use injection information to help us determine whether injection activities might cause induced earthquakes and rule out other injection activities that are unlikely to induce earthquakes, but we cannot say either with certainty.There are a number of conditions that increase the likelihood of...

Learn More
link
Oil production and wastewater disposal

How does the injection of fluid at depth cause earthquakes?

The fluid that is injected at depth is sometimes hydraulically connected to faults. When this happens, fluid pressures increase within the fault, counteracting the frictional forces on faults. This makes earthquakes more likely to occur on them. An analog to this system is an air hockey table. When an air hockey table is off, the puck does not move readily, but when the table is on, the puck...

link

How does the injection of fluid at depth cause earthquakes?

The fluid that is injected at depth is sometimes hydraulically connected to faults. When this happens, fluid pressures increase within the fault, counteracting the frictional forces on faults. This makes earthquakes more likely to occur on them. An analog to this system is an air hockey table. When an air hockey table is off, the puck does not move readily, but when the table is on, the puck...

Learn More
link
Epicenter of the Oklahoma 5.6 earthquake on Sept 3, 2016

How large are the earthquakes induced by fluid injection?

The largest earthquake induced by fluid injection that has been documented in the scientific literature was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake on September 23, 2016 in central Oklahoma. Four magnitude 5+ earthquakes have occurred in Oklahoma, three of which occurred in 2016. In 2011, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake was induced by fluid injection in the Raton Basin, Colorado. Earthquakes with magnitudes between...

link

How large are the earthquakes induced by fluid injection?

The largest earthquake induced by fluid injection that has been documented in the scientific literature was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake on September 23, 2016 in central Oklahoma. Four magnitude 5+ earthquakes have occurred in Oklahoma, three of which occurred in 2016. In 2011, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake was induced by fluid injection in the Raton Basin, Colorado. Earthquakes with magnitudes between...

Learn More
link
cartoon for fluid injection and withdrawal

Are earthquakes induced by fluid-injection activities always located close to the point of injection?

No. Given enough time, the pressure increase created by injection can migrate substantial horizontal and vertical distances from the injection location. Induced earthquakes can occur 10 or more miles from injection wells. Induced earthquakes can also occur a few miles below injection wells.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

link

Are earthquakes induced by fluid-injection activities always located close to the point of injection?

No. Given enough time, the pressure increase created by injection can migrate substantial horizontal and vertical distances from the injection location. Induced earthquakes can occur 10 or more miles from injection wells. Induced earthquakes can also occur a few miles below injection wells.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

Learn More
link
Research has identified 17 areas in the central and eastern United States with increased rates of induced seismicity.

Is there any possibility that a wastewater injection activity could interact with a nearby fault to trigger a major earthquake that causes extensive damage over a broad region?

So far, there is no documented example linking injection operations to triggering of major earthquakes. However, we cannot eliminate this possibility. Other human activities--for example oil production in Uzbekistan--have induced M7+ earthquakes.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

link

Is there any possibility that a wastewater injection activity could interact with a nearby fault to trigger a major earthquake that causes extensive damage over a broad region?

So far, there is no documented example linking injection operations to triggering of major earthquakes. However, we cannot eliminate this possibility. Other human activities--for example oil production in Uzbekistan--have induced M7+ earthquakes.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

Learn More
link
USGS map displaying potential to experience damage from a natural or human-induced earthquake in 2017

Oklahoma has had a surge of earthquakes since 2009. Are they due to fracking?

Beginning in 2009, Oklahoma experienced a surge in seismicity. This surge was so large that its rate of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes exceeded California’s from 2014 through 2017.While these earthquakes have been induced by oil and gas related process, few of these earthquakes were induced by fracking. The largest earthquake known to be induced by hydraulic fracturing in Oklahoma was a M3.6...

link

Oklahoma has had a surge of earthquakes since 2009. Are they due to fracking?

Beginning in 2009, Oklahoma experienced a surge in seismicity. This surge was so large that its rate of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes exceeded California’s from 2014 through 2017.While these earthquakes have been induced by oil and gas related process, few of these earthquakes were induced by fracking. The largest earthquake known to be induced by hydraulic fracturing in Oklahoma was a M3.6...

Learn More
link
Damage to buildings in Cushing, Oklahoma from the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in 2016
link
Damage to buildings in Cushing, Oklahoma from the magnitude 5.0 earthquake on November 6, 2016
link
House damage in central Oklahoma from a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in 2011
link
Image: Natural Gas Production Water Impoundment
link
Image: Natural Gas Flare Stack
link
Image: Natural Gas Flare
link
Image: Bakken Oil Well
link

The 2013–2016 induced earthquakes in Harper and Sumner Counties, southern Kansas

We examine the first four years (2013–2016) of the ongoing seismicity in southern Kansas using high‐precision locations derived from a local seismometer network. The earthquakes occur almost exclusively in the shallow crystalline basement, below the wastewater injection horizon of the Arbuckle Group at the base of the sedimentary section. Multiple lines of evidence lead us to conclude that disposa
By
Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

Was the Mw 7.5 1952 Kern County, California, earthquake induced (or triggered)?

Several recent studies have presented evidence that significant induced earthquakes occurred in a number of oil-producing regions during the early and mid-twentieth century related to either production or wastewater injection. We consider whether the 21 July 1952 Mw 7.5 Kern County earthquake might have been induced by production in the Wheeler Ridge oil field. The mainshock, which was not precede
By
Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

Potentially induced earthquakes during the early twentieth century in the Los Angeles Basin

Recent studies have presented evidence that early to mid‐twentieth‐century earthquakes in Oklahoma and Texas were likely induced by fossil fuel production and/or injection of wastewater (Hough and Page, 2015; Frohlich et al., 2016). Considering seismicity from 1935 onward, Hauksson et al. (2015) concluded that there is no evidence for significant induced activity in the greater Los Angeles region
By
Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

Myths and facts on wastewater injection, hydraulic fracturing, enhanced oil recovery, and induced seismicity

The central United States has undergone a dramatic increase in seismicity over the past 6 years (Fig. 1), rising from an average of 24 M≥3 earthquakes per year in the years 1973–2008 to an average of 193 M≥3 earthquakes in 2009–2014, with 688 occurring in 2014 alone. Multiple damaging earthquakes have occurred during this increase including the 2011 M 5.6 Prague, Oklahoma, earthquake; the 2011 M 5
By
Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

Shaking from injection-induced earthquakes in the central and eastern United States

In this study I consider the ground motions generated by 11 moderate (Mw4.0-5.6) earthquakes in the central and eastern United States that are thought or suspected to be induced by fluid injection. Using spatially rich intensity data from the USGS “Did You Feel It?” system, I show that the distance decay of intensities for all events is consistent with that observed for tectonic earthquakes in th
By
Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

Potentially induced earthquakes in Oklahoma, USA: links between wastewater injection and the 2011 M<sub>w</sub> 5.7 earthquake sequence

Significant earthquakes are increasingly occurring within the continental interior of the United States, including five of moment magnitude (Mw) ≥ 5.0 in 2011 alone. Concurrently, the volume of fluid injected into the subsurface related to the production of unconventional resources continues to rise. Here we identify the largest earthquake potentially related to injection, an Mw 5.7 earthquake in
By
Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

Passive seismic monitoring of natural and induced earthquakes: Case studies, future directions and socio-economic relevance

An important discovery in crustal mechanics has been that the Earth’s crust is commonly stressed close to failure, even in tectonically quiet areas. As a result, small natural or man-made perturbations to the local stress field may trigger earthquakes. To understand these processes, Passive Seismic Monitoring (PSM) with seismometer arrays is a widely used technique that has been successfully appli
By
Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center
link

Wastewater Disposal Likely Induced February 2016 Magnitude 5.1 Oklahoma Earthquake

Distant wastewater disposal wells likely induced the third largest earthquake in recent Oklahoma record, the Feb. 13, 2016, magnitude 5.1 event...

Read Article
link

Evidence of Unconventional Oil and Gas Wastewater Found in Surface Waters near Underground Injection Site

These are the first published studies to demonstrate water-quality impacts to a surface stream due to activities at an unconventional oil and gas...

Read Article
link

EarthWord – Induced Seismicity

The occurrence or frequency of earthquakes for which the origin is attributable to human activities.

Read Article
link

Induced Earthquakes Raise Chances of Damaging Shaking in 2016

For the first time, new USGS maps identify the potential for ground shaking from both human-induced and natural earthquakes in 2016.

Read Article
link

A Century of Induced Earthquakes in Oklahoma?

The rate of earthquakes has increased sharply since 2009 in the central and eastern United States, with growing evidence confirming that these...
Read Article
link

Coping with Earthquakes Induced by Fluid Injection

MENLO PARK, Calif.— A paper published today in Science provides a case for increasing transparency and data collection to enable strategies for...
Read Article
link

2011 Oklahoma Induced Earthquake May Have Triggered Larger Quake

 In a new study involving researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey, scientists observed that a human-induced magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Prague...

Read Article

Related Content

  • FAQ
    link
    Oil and Gas Wastewater Disposal Facility in West Virginia

    Do all wastewater disposal wells induce earthquakes?

    No. Of more than 150,000 Class II injection wells in the United States, roughly 40,000 are waste fluid disposal wells for oil and gas operations. Only a small fraction of these disposal wells have induced earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern to the public.Learn more:USGS Induced EarthquakesEPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program

    link

    Do all wastewater disposal wells induce earthquakes?

    No. Of more than 150,000 Class II injection wells in the United States, roughly 40,000 are waste fluid disposal wells for oil and gas operations. Only a small fraction of these disposal wells have induced earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern to the public.Learn more:USGS Induced EarthquakesEPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program

    Learn More
    link
    Image: Wastewater Disposal Facility in Colorado

    Is it possible to anticipate whether a planned wastewater disposal activity will trigger earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern?

    Currently, there are no methods available to do this in a definitive sense. We have developed methods that use injection information to help us determine whether injection activities might cause induced earthquakes and rule out other injection activities that are unlikely to induce earthquakes, but we cannot say either with certainty.There are a number of conditions that increase the likelihood of...

    link

    Is it possible to anticipate whether a planned wastewater disposal activity will trigger earthquakes that are large enough to be of concern?

    Currently, there are no methods available to do this in a definitive sense. We have developed methods that use injection information to help us determine whether injection activities might cause induced earthquakes and rule out other injection activities that are unlikely to induce earthquakes, but we cannot say either with certainty.There are a number of conditions that increase the likelihood of...

    Learn More
    link
    Oil production and wastewater disposal

    How does the injection of fluid at depth cause earthquakes?

    The fluid that is injected at depth is sometimes hydraulically connected to faults. When this happens, fluid pressures increase within the fault, counteracting the frictional forces on faults. This makes earthquakes more likely to occur on them. An analog to this system is an air hockey table. When an air hockey table is off, the puck does not move readily, but when the table is on, the puck...

    link

    How does the injection of fluid at depth cause earthquakes?

    The fluid that is injected at depth is sometimes hydraulically connected to faults. When this happens, fluid pressures increase within the fault, counteracting the frictional forces on faults. This makes earthquakes more likely to occur on them. An analog to this system is an air hockey table. When an air hockey table is off, the puck does not move readily, but when the table is on, the puck...

    Learn More
    link
    Epicenter of the Oklahoma 5.6 earthquake on Sept 3, 2016

    How large are the earthquakes induced by fluid injection?

    The largest earthquake induced by fluid injection that has been documented in the scientific literature was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake on September 23, 2016 in central Oklahoma. Four magnitude 5+ earthquakes have occurred in Oklahoma, three of which occurred in 2016. In 2011, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake was induced by fluid injection in the Raton Basin, Colorado. Earthquakes with magnitudes between...

    link

    How large are the earthquakes induced by fluid injection?

    The largest earthquake induced by fluid injection that has been documented in the scientific literature was a magnitude 5.8 earthquake on September 23, 2016 in central Oklahoma. Four magnitude 5+ earthquakes have occurred in Oklahoma, three of which occurred in 2016. In 2011, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake was induced by fluid injection in the Raton Basin, Colorado. Earthquakes with magnitudes between...

    Learn More
    link
    cartoon for fluid injection and withdrawal

    Are earthquakes induced by fluid-injection activities always located close to the point of injection?

    No. Given enough time, the pressure increase created by injection can migrate substantial horizontal and vertical distances from the injection location. Induced earthquakes can occur 10 or more miles from injection wells. Induced earthquakes can also occur a few miles below injection wells.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

    link

    Are earthquakes induced by fluid-injection activities always located close to the point of injection?

    No. Given enough time, the pressure increase created by injection can migrate substantial horizontal and vertical distances from the injection location. Induced earthquakes can occur 10 or more miles from injection wells. Induced earthquakes can also occur a few miles below injection wells.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

    Learn More
    link
    Research has identified 17 areas in the central and eastern United States with increased rates of induced seismicity.

    Is there any possibility that a wastewater injection activity could interact with a nearby fault to trigger a major earthquake that causes extensive damage over a broad region?

    So far, there is no documented example linking injection operations to triggering of major earthquakes. However, we cannot eliminate this possibility. Other human activities--for example oil production in Uzbekistan--have induced M7+ earthquakes.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

    link

    Is there any possibility that a wastewater injection activity could interact with a nearby fault to trigger a major earthquake that causes extensive damage over a broad region?

    So far, there is no documented example linking injection operations to triggering of major earthquakes. However, we cannot eliminate this possibility. Other human activities--for example oil production in Uzbekistan--have induced M7+ earthquakes.Learn more: USGS Induced Earthquakes

    Learn More
    link
    USGS map displaying potential to experience damage from a natural or human-induced earthquake in 2017

    Oklahoma has had a surge of earthquakes since 2009. Are they due to fracking?

    Beginning in 2009, Oklahoma experienced a surge in seismicity. This surge was so large that its rate of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes exceeded California’s from 2014 through 2017.While these earthquakes have been induced by oil and gas related process, few of these earthquakes were induced by fracking. The largest earthquake known to be induced by hydraulic fracturing in Oklahoma was a M3.6...

    link

    Oklahoma has had a surge of earthquakes since 2009. Are they due to fracking?

    Beginning in 2009, Oklahoma experienced a surge in seismicity. This surge was so large that its rate of magnitude 3 and larger earthquakes exceeded California’s from 2014 through 2017.While these earthquakes have been induced by oil and gas related process, few of these earthquakes were induced by fracking. The largest earthquake known to be induced by hydraulic fracturing in Oklahoma was a M3.6...

    Learn More
  • Multimedia
    link
    Damage to buildings in Cushing, Oklahoma from the magnitude 5.0 earthquake in 2016
    link
    Damage to buildings in Cushing, Oklahoma from the magnitude 5.0 earthquake on November 6, 2016
    link
    House damage in central Oklahoma from a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in 2011
    link
    Image: Natural Gas Production Water Impoundment
    link
    Image: Natural Gas Flare Stack
    link
    Image: Natural Gas Flare
    link
    Image: Bakken Oil Well
    link
  • Publications

    The 2013–2016 induced earthquakes in Harper and Sumner Counties, southern Kansas

    We examine the first four years (2013–2016) of the ongoing seismicity in southern Kansas using high‐precision locations derived from a local seismometer network. The earthquakes occur almost exclusively in the shallow crystalline basement, below the wastewater injection horizon of the Arbuckle Group at the base of the sedimentary section. Multiple lines of evidence lead us to conclude that disposa
    By
    Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

    Was the Mw 7.5 1952 Kern County, California, earthquake induced (or triggered)?

    Several recent studies have presented evidence that significant induced earthquakes occurred in a number of oil-producing regions during the early and mid-twentieth century related to either production or wastewater injection. We consider whether the 21 July 1952 Mw 7.5 Kern County earthquake might have been induced by production in the Wheeler Ridge oil field. The mainshock, which was not precede
    By
    Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

    Potentially induced earthquakes during the early twentieth century in the Los Angeles Basin

    Recent studies have presented evidence that early to mid‐twentieth‐century earthquakes in Oklahoma and Texas were likely induced by fossil fuel production and/or injection of wastewater (Hough and Page, 2015; Frohlich et al., 2016). Considering seismicity from 1935 onward, Hauksson et al. (2015) concluded that there is no evidence for significant induced activity in the greater Los Angeles region
    By
    Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

    Myths and facts on wastewater injection, hydraulic fracturing, enhanced oil recovery, and induced seismicity

    The central United States has undergone a dramatic increase in seismicity over the past 6 years (Fig. 1), rising from an average of 24 M≥3 earthquakes per year in the years 1973–2008 to an average of 193 M≥3 earthquakes in 2009–2014, with 688 occurring in 2014 alone. Multiple damaging earthquakes have occurred during this increase including the 2011 M 5.6 Prague, Oklahoma, earthquake; the 2011 M 5
    By
    Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

    Shaking from injection-induced earthquakes in the central and eastern United States

    In this study I consider the ground motions generated by 11 moderate (Mw4.0-5.6) earthquakes in the central and eastern United States that are thought or suspected to be induced by fluid injection. Using spatially rich intensity data from the USGS “Did You Feel It?” system, I show that the distance decay of intensities for all events is consistent with that observed for tectonic earthquakes in th
    By
    Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

    Potentially induced earthquakes in Oklahoma, USA: links between wastewater injection and the 2011 M<sub>w</sub> 5.7 earthquake sequence

    Significant earthquakes are increasingly occurring within the continental interior of the United States, including five of moment magnitude (Mw) ≥ 5.0 in 2011 alone. Concurrently, the volume of fluid injected into the subsurface related to the production of unconventional resources continues to rise. Here we identify the largest earthquake potentially related to injection, an Mw 5.7 earthquake in
    By
    Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center

    Passive seismic monitoring of natural and induced earthquakes: Case studies, future directions and socio-economic relevance

    An important discovery in crustal mechanics has been that the Earth’s crust is commonly stressed close to failure, even in tectonically quiet areas. As a result, small natural or man-made perturbations to the local stress field may trigger earthquakes. To understand these processes, Passive Seismic Monitoring (PSM) with seismometer arrays is a widely used technique that has been successfully appli
    By
    Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Science Center
  • News
    link

    Wastewater Disposal Likely Induced February 2016 Magnitude 5.1 Oklahoma Earthquake

    Distant wastewater disposal wells likely induced the third largest earthquake in recent Oklahoma record, the Feb. 13, 2016, magnitude 5.1 event...

    Read Article
    link

    Evidence of Unconventional Oil and Gas Wastewater Found in Surface Waters near Underground Injection Site

    These are the first published studies to demonstrate water-quality impacts to a surface stream due to activities at an unconventional oil and gas...

    Read Article
    link

    EarthWord – Induced Seismicity

    The occurrence or frequency of earthquakes for which the origin is attributable to human activities.

    Read Article
    link

    Induced Earthquakes Raise Chances of Damaging Shaking in 2016

    For the first time, new USGS maps identify the potential for ground shaking from both human-induced and natural earthquakes in 2016.

    Read Article
    link

    A Century of Induced Earthquakes in Oklahoma?

    The rate of earthquakes has increased sharply since 2009 in the central and eastern United States, with growing evidence confirming that these...
    Read Article
    link

    Coping with Earthquakes Induced by Fluid Injection

    MENLO PARK, Calif.— A paper published today in Science provides a case for increasing transparency and data collection to enable strategies for...
    Read Article
    link

    2011 Oklahoma Induced Earthquake May Have Triggered Larger Quake

     In a new study involving researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey, scientists observed that a human-induced magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Prague...

    Read Article