The answer might surprise you. An enterprising research analyst has determined, from grass roots work, that significant funding behind the anti-fracking movement comes from the Middle East – Saudi, UAE, and Qatari funds. Apparently, the prospect of significant oil and gas production has caught the interest of the world’s largest producers of each hydrocarbon. It has been clear from recent meetings with Middle Eastern oil, gas, and chemical producers that this is a major concern in the region.
Do Drilling/Fracking Practices cause earthquakes? Possibly! But what’s a 4.0 among ‘friends?’
Ohio’s governor ordered a temporary halt to an injection well near Youngstown, following a 4.0 earthquake last month. It is interesting to note that there were over 8000 earthquakes in the US in 2010, 90% below 4.0, and over 50% below 3.0. The count fell to about 5000 in 2010. The average count in the1990-200 decade was around 2750, with the same distribution, suggesting that something is responsible for the growth in seismic events. However, historically, 90% of all US earthquakes occur in 4 states (Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Nevada). Pennsylvania has a long history of moderate (under 5.0) earthquakes, but ranks 32nd (Ohio is 28th) over a 30 year period (pre-Marcellus/Utica) with events above 3.5. Texas is ‘nowhere on the list,’ but sensitivity probably varies with geology.