Specific locations
driven
1/5/2012 11:02:01 AM
Interesting stuff. Perhaps the objective shouldn't be to ban the process, but to determine what unique qualities about the geology makes one site prone to quakes but do not affect another.
Re: Specific locations
Bargain Bin
1/5/2012 11:37:08 AM
Tough break for Youngstown. Hopefully we can discover what conditions fracking is safe under. Seems like it would be good news across the board.
This is absolutely fascinating to me because it touches so many aspects of our lives, both present and future. The issue around to frack or not to frack will be another defining moment that will depend on the value we place on certain aspects such as jobs, water, nature, economic health, etc.
I wish I could be a fly on the wall on this one but none of us have that luxury.
Thanks Noreen!
Re: Specific locations
PAW
1/5/2012 11:56:52 AM
I like your idea although I am not a geologist and have no idea how they can determine what areas are prone to earthquakes. It is interesting that ND has not experienced any earthquakes while Ohia and Colorado have. Personally, I don't worry about an earthquake unless it is over 4.0. Growing up in LA, that seem to be the division between a minor annoyance of a little shaking and a lot of damage.
Re: Specific locations
TelecomFreq
1/5/2012 12:01:18 PM
I had heard a piece on a local radio station the other day and the geologist was saying that the quakes might be related to the area and there has been a ban on fracking for a 5 mile limit around Youngstown.
There was also a news piece talking about the Gov trying to bring a hydro carbon cracking facility to Ohio to help turn all this gas and oil into petro based products like plastics. It feels like Ohio is really banking on the energy sector to drive up our local economy.
I personally wonder whether the issues are tied to the specific companies doing the fracking: Are the ones with better quality control and proper techniques avoiding earthquakes? I don't know the answer, but it would be interesting to check further.
There's another factor in Western PA/Eastern Ohio. The whole area is undermined. Years ago, there were coal mines all over the place. they were supposed to leave pillars of coal as supports. During the Great Depression, people went in and chipped away those supports to warm their homes and replaced the pillars of coal with timbers. Over time, the timbers rot and you get this unique thing called mine subsidence. One day, a whole house will just fall into a giant hole.
I think @driven is on the right track here. There is no way that we're going to put the fracking genie back in the bottle at this point, but adding legislation at the state or local level to analyze the environmental impacts seems like the prudent thing to do.
Re: Specific locations
Tenacious
1/5/2012 12:44:40 PM
There's another factor in Western PA/Eastern Ohio. The whole area is undermined. Years ago, there were coal mines all over the place. they were supposed to leave pillars of coal as supports. During the Great Depression, people went in and chipped away those supports to warm their homes and replaced the pillars of coal with timbers. Over time, the timbers rot and you get this unique thing called mine subsidence. One day, a whole house will just fall into a giant hole.
So, wait, you have these preexisting holes hundreds of feet below the surface, and then huge amounts of fluid are pumped into or through them?
Yep. The mines are mapped. In theory. In reality, many of the mines were unauthorized or done by private citizens or done before maps were considered all that important. So you can check to see if your house is above an old mine, but it's not that reassuring. The best bet is to buy mine subsidence insurance: another unique western Pa/eastern Ohio product, like chipped ham. (don't ask.)
Anyway, I am not a geologist, but I have to think that drilling through one of these voids could be unsettling to the surrounding rock. What if the drill or the frack sleeves hit rock that's supporting an already weak piece of timber (that shouldn't be there in the first place but is?)
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