By: Liza Lester

Liza Lester — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:37:51 +0000

Ellsworth’s analysis did not link earthquakes to the hydraulic fracturing process, so headlines that state *fracking* causes earthquakes are misleading. I think it’s fairly obvious that the booming popularity of fracking means more deep injection wells, but not all fracking installations use deep injection wells. Many of the deep injection wells in the study area were used in connection with other types of oil and gas exploitation. This does not mean “fracking is just fine.” Many ecologists are worried about fracking for other reasons, and we don’t want those other reasons to be ignored because of exaggerated claims that turned out not to be true. Like Brian Romans, I think misleading reports harm the credibility of the science and the scientists. I don’t think your sexual analogy is germane.

By: Douglas Keachie

Douglas Keachie — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 01:15:19 +0000

BTW, again, the amazing disconnect between “fracking” and the later reinjection into the earth of excess fracking fluid that returns to the surface, just boggles my mind. They may be two “separate” events, but you don’t get the need for the second (disingenuously here described as the causal agent, not fracking, “oh please, fracking is just fine”) without doing the first. This is much like declaring that inserting semen has nothing to do with conception, it just happens to occur nearby. Classic Compartmentalized, (I hesitate to use the next term) Thinking!

Comments on: Increase in magnitude 3+ earthquakes likely caused by oil and gas production (but not fracking)

By: Liza Lester

By: Douglas Keachie