最近两项独立进行的研究，使人们对颇有争议的水力压裂开采油气引发地震说法有了进一步的认识。

The Canadian PressPosted: Apr 17, 2012 10:53 AM ETLast Updated: Apr 17, 2012 1:09 PM ET

 

Two separate studies are providing insights into the earth-shaking consequences of the controversial gas extraction process known as fracking.

Both studies confirm that hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, can trigger manmade earthquakes. The process involves blasting water, sand and chemicals deep into the ground to fracture rock to obtain oil and natural gas.

Energy companies are increasingly using the technique across Canada, where there is already regular seismic activity and an ever looming threat of various sized tremors.

The U.S. Geological Survey is set to release its findings Wednesday that a "remarkable" increase of quakes in the U.S. midcontinent since 2001 is "almost certainly" the result of oil and gas production.

U.K. experts, meanwhile, point to a study released Monday that found recent earthquakes in northwest England were caused by fluid injection into a nearby fault zone as evidence fracking can be safe when conducted by responsible operators.

The consultants' report, commissioned by the U.K. government and published on Tuesday recommends that fracking should be halted temporarily if there is a tremor greater than magnitude 0.5 on the Richter scale. Cuadrilla Resources, a company that halted its fracking activities in northwestern England following tremors of magnitudes 2.3 and 1.5 in April and May last year, has said that is acceptable.

Opposition to fracking has ramped up since the release of the 2010 documentary "Gasland," which shows residents of small town Colorado setting alight tap water they charge was soured by nearby oil industry activity.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/04/17/environment-fracking-earthquake-studies.html

转载本文请联系原作者获取授权，同时请注明本文来自王汉森科学网博客。
链接地址：https://m.sciencenet.cn/blog-5414-560681.html

上一篇：鸟粪堆保存下来的珍贵资料
下一篇：外媒对三峡库区地质灾害的报道