Northeast Ohio rocked by 11th earthquake linked to Youngstown injection wells

Northeast Ohio rocked by 11th earthquake linked to Youngstown injection wells (Ohio.com)

By Bob Downing
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published: January 1, 2012 - 12:00 AM

Barbara Forney’s Christmas tree was flattened on Saturday afternoon in her West Akron house.

“It was like someone pushed it down,” the 79-year-old woman said.

It had been standing by the fireplace in her living room until an earthquake tied to injection wells near Youngstown rumbled across Northeast Ohio.

The 4.0-magnitude quake was centered near Youngstown, reported the U.S. Geological Survey and the Ohio Earthquake Information Center.

The earthquake at 3:05 p.m. was felt as far away as Michigan, Ontario, Pennsylvania and New York, reported Michael C. Hansen, state geologist and coordinator of the Ohio Seismic Network, part of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Geological Survey.

There is “little doubt” that the quake is linked to injection wells that the state and the owner agreed on Friday to shut down, Hansen said.

James Zehringer, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, announced the closing of two injection wells in Youngstown Township owned by Northstar Disposal Services LLC and operated by D&L Energy Inc.

The order to close came despite the fact that the state has been unable to prove that the wells, which are 9,000 feet deep, are the cause of the earthquakes.

The wells were used to dispose of salty brine wastes from gas and oil drilling by pumping them under pressure into rock formations deep underground.

The wells are among 177 in Ohio. Drilling wastes from Ohio and Pennsylvania are being pumped in increasing volumes into the wells for permanent disposal.

Geologists have long suspected that injecting liquids into underground rock formations can trigger earthquakes along fault lines. The liquids allow rocks to flow more easily past each other.

Earthquakes have been linked to injection wells in Arkansas, West Virginia, Colorado and Texas.

There's a statement above that has been a bone of contention in the past regarding these disposal wells - that is"The order to close came despite the fact that the state has been unable to prove that the wells, which are 9,000 feet deep, are the cause of the earthquakes." The contention is that Pennsylvania State University did a study on the disposal wells and found them to be much less than the 9,000 ft the gas companies and state claim. They state that the wells are between 3-5,000 feet, and that plugs designed to prevent "migration of brine" into the aquifers have required re-plugging. (The below EPA reports cites the PSU study):

Underground Injection Wells as an Option for Disposal of Shale Gas Wastewaters:
Policies & Practicality.
Karen Johnson, Chief, Ground Water & Enforcement Branch, US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), Region 3. (PDF File - PSU.edu)

Fracking and the Disposal fluids are highly toxic (list of Chemicals Used In Hydraulic Fracturing). The worst, from the source, are the "BTEX compounds – benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene – which are SDWA contaminants and hazardous air pollutants. Benzene also is a known human carcinogen. The hydraulic fracturing companies injected 11.4 million gallons of products containing at least one BTEX chemical over the five-year period." The SDWA is the Safe Drinking Water Act, which sadly cannot apply here as Bush/Cheney EXEMPTED FRACKING COMPOUNDS. In 2005, the Bush/ Cheney Energy Bill exempted natural gas drilling from the Safe Drinking Water Act. It exempts companies from disclosing the chemicals used during hydraulic fracturing. Essentially, the provision took the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) off the job. It is now commonly referred to as the Halliburton Loophole.

Unfortunately no study has yet to address the potential for fracking- or disposal well-related earthquakes to create fissures that would allow these chemicals to mix with ground water and aquifers.

I live by Cleveland and felt nothing. There's another thread on this already though.

But end fracking...plz

Why is there any contraversy over this injecting business?
Is it not a perfect example of physics: applying pressurized lubrication to materials which then forces them apart? How can that be denied in good faith?

(Oh, I forgot the on-going half-century denials of UFO.)

reply to post by Blackmarketeer


ROCKED???? I live in Ohio and I didn't feel a thing, and I'm right there by Cleveland.

Live in Ohio, and felt the quake, it was along the eastern half of the state and in Penn. I have cracked ceilings now, all because some corrupt goverment decided equally corrupt oil companies needed more profits.

These fracking compounds are like pressurized grease under these slip joints, of course they're going to cause earthquakes. Just don't expect goverment scientists to tell you that, their loyalty lies with the highest bidder, the oil companies.