Linda R. Rowan Angela C. Jones have assembled this important CRS report (13 January 2023): 'Earthquakes Induced by Underground Fluid Injection and the Federal Role in Mitigation'.
Download CRS_Report_EQ_Induced_UG_Fluid_Injection_Fed_Mitigation_13Jan2023
I will post just the Summary and the PDF of the report and some important graphics (click on them to enlarge them).
In the mid-1970s I recall listening to John D. Bredehoeft of the U.S. Geological Survey discuss the locking/unlocking faults by alternating the injection and withdrawal of fluids along a fault in Rangely, CO. This could ultimately lead to a grand experiment of 'gently' relieving strain along the San Andreas Fault to produce 'small' quakes not large ones. Never got much beyond Rangely. To much $$$ and too much risk.
Summary
Human activities, including underground fluid injection activities, may cause earthquakes (known as induced earthquakes). Underground fluid injection activities, such as hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas production, enhanced oil and gas recovery wells, and wastewater disposal wells, have increased in the central and eastern United States since about 2008, in part due to advancements in horizontal drilling. The number of earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater in the same region increased from 2009 to 2015, and these earthquakes are correlated in space and time with injection activities. For example, over 1,000 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater occurred in the central and eastern United States in 2015 (more than the annual historic rate of magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes of less than 25). Disposal wells induced the largest earthquake recorded in Oklahoma, a magnitude 5.8, in 2016, causing property damage and lawsuits.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), state agencies, and universities have increased seismic monitoring and research near underground fluid injection activities since 2008 to understand what causes induced earthquakes and to mitigate the risks of these activities. In general, one or more fluid injections may change the geologic conditions of a fault, causing the fault to slip in an induced earthquake. Current research topics include identifying unstable faults and understanding how injection operations may cause a fault to slip. The USGS released one-year seismic hazard forecasts for the central and eastern United States for 2016, 2017, and 2018, which included naturally occurring and induced earthquakes.
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the underground injection of fluids to protect underground drinking water sources. EPA has issued Underground Injection Control (UIC) regulations for six classes of injection wells. Class II wells, primarily wastewater disposal wells, have caused most of the induced earthquakes in the central and eastern United States. SDWA authorizes states that meet program requirements to administer the federal UIC programs in lieu of EPA, and most oil and gas producing states administer a UIC program for their state. Although SDWA does not address seismicity, EPA rules for certain well classes require evaluation of seismic risk. Such requirements do not apply to Class II wells; however, EPA developed a framework for evaluating seismic risk when reviewing Class II well permit applications in states where EPA administers the UIC program.
Although a small fraction of underground fluid injection wells, primarily disposal wells, in the central and eastern United States may induce earthquakes, potential seismic risk persists. Federal agencies, state agencies, and other stakeholders continue to study, monitor, regulate, and mitigate this risk. Mitigation may include stopping, pausing, or changing underground fluid injection operations. The study of induced seismicity caused by these fluid injection activities may inform USGS and Department of Energy (DOE) efforts to develop an understanding of how other underground fluid injection activities may induce earthquakes, such as enhanced geothermal energy and geologic carbon sequestration systems.
Congress may consider the adequacy of federally funded research on induced seismicity. Congress also may consider amending the statutory authorities of the UIC program to require consideration of induced seismicity. In addition, Congress may consider whether the federal government should have a role in regulating underground fluid injection activities for induced seismicity and whether current EPA or DOE requirements, reports, or guidance regarding induced seismicity from underground fluid injection activities are sufficient. Some in Congress have expressed interest in changing regulations for hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas production wells through measures introduced in the 117th Congress. Although these measures did not mention induced seismicity, any changes to the regulation of one underground fluid injection activity may affect the regulatory structure for other types of wells and how federal agencies and state agencies deal with the risks of induced seismicity.
Enjoy!
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