A timely posting as Oklahoma experienced a M4.2 earthquake last night, also attributed to fracking activities. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009–16_Oklahoma_earthquake_...
The problem is a few local producers disagree on how much salt water can be reinjected. No its not going to cause a california style earth quake, the midwest doesnt have those kind of fault lines. Its likely to settle itself out over time, if regulation in this particular part of the state doesnt hit first.
But to be clear, it has nothing to do with fracking. Fracking actually stablizes rock layers (they inject porous sand into formations) rather than slickens them. Why would a producer want his formation to move and close off his production
http://www.usgs.gov/blogs/features/usgs_top_story/induced-ea...
But we all know it's a dog whistle.
"As a result of the magnitude 5.6 earthquake on November 5, 2011, an estimated one million dollars in damage occurred in and around the Prague area.[51] So far, there has not been a significant amount of damage reported from other earthquakes"
Most industries cost the community 1 million $ (assuming this particular earthquake was even due to fracking)
This is why they pay tax.
You're not in a movie, fracking is not going to cause some sort of earthquake catastrophe.
Ever company that uses trucks could and does kill people.
I have in-laws that live north of Edmond OK and the almost daily tremors and quakes there have changed their lives to a certain degree...
My father-in-law goes out to check the brickwork on his house on a regular basis now, paying special attention to his chimney...things occasionally rattle off shelves and fall to the floor...
Injection well frequencies and volumes have now been reduced or entirely curtailed in certain areas of the state...
So, maybe life does indeed seem a bit surreal if you live in an affected area...
Drilling, fracking, and the use of injection wells to dispose of waste-water have apparently led to Oklahoma becoming as quake-prone as California...
The USGS quoted in a NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/29/us/earthquake-risk-in-okla...
Actually, its even worse than a movie: "New Concern Over Quakes in Oklahoma Near a Hub of U.S. Oil"
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/15/us/new-concern-over-quakes...