An unprecedented increase in earthquakes in the U.S. mid-continent began in 2009. Many of these earthquakes have been documented as induced by wastewater injection. We examine the relationship between wastewater injection and U.S. mid-continent seismicity using a newly assembled injection well database for the central and eastern United States. We find that the entire increase in earthquake rate is associated with fluid injection wells. High-rate injection wells (>300,000 barrels per month) are much more likely to be associated with earthquakes than lower-rate wells. At the scale of our study, a well’s cumulative injected volume, monthly wellhead pressure, depth, and proximity to crystalline basement do not strongly correlate with earthquake association. Managing injection rates may be a useful tool to minimize the likelihood of induced earthquakes.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Title | High-rate injection is associated with the increase in U.S. mid-continent seismicity |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.aab1345 |
| Authors | Matthew Weingarten, Shemin Ge, Jonathan W. Godt, Barbara A. Bekins, Justin L. Rubinstein |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Science |
| Index ID | 70161978 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Office of the AD Hazards; John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis |
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Jonathan Godt, Ph.D.
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