• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • WordPress
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Science Update

Science Update

Sharing Science | Satisfying Curiosity | Debunking BS

  • Spotlights
  • Reality Check
  • Why Is It?
  • Radio Archives
  • Sciup @ School
Home » Radio Archive » Daily Show » Human-Induced Earthquakes

Human-Induced Earthquakes

June 18, 2015
https://podcast.scienceupdate.com/150618_sciup_quake.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window

BOB HIRSHON (host):

USGS via flickr CC BY 2.0 this earthquake was induced by injection into deep disposal wells in the Wilzetta North field. Photo credit Brian Sherrod, USGS central Oklahoma 2011
This house in central Oklahoma was damaged in 2011 by an earthquake caused by injection disposal wells deep below the ground. (Brian Sherrod/USGS/Creative Commons License 2.0, via flickr)

Human-induced earthquakes. I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.

Geologists now agree that human activities have caused the dramatic increase in earthquakes in Oklahoma and many other states. Geologist Danielle Sumy at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology or IRIS, explains that conventional oil drilling brings up large amounts of salt water along with the petroleum. Companies dispose of that water by injecting it deep underground. The problem is, most oil drilling is done near faults.

DANIELLE SUMY (IRIS: Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology):

To have a petroleum “play,” or an area that is going to have oil and gas, you actually need a structural barrier like a fault to be able to trap the oil and gas.

HIRSHON:

Under certain conditions, wastewater injection can trigger earthquakes in these faults. A new report by the USGS claims that while fluid from hydraulic fracking is a contributor, the main culprit is the greater volumes of water from conventional drilling. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society. 

Category: Daily Show, Station DownloadTag: Energy, Environment & Conservation, Geology
Previous Post:Wi-Fi Power
Next Post:Tissue Regeneration

Sidebar

Radio Program Archives

Want to learn more about the brain? The environment? Here you can browse the topics that come up regularly on Science Update.

Search the Archives

Categories

  • Daily Show
  • Station Download
  • Weekly Show

Find By Tag

  • 2020
  • Acoustics & Sound
  • Aging
  • Animal Behavior
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Astronomy & Space
  • Biology
  • Brain Science
  • Bugs
  • Cat Video
  • Chemistry
  • Children & Families
  • cicadas
  • Climate & Weather
  • Communications
  • Computer Science
  • Economics & Business
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Environment & Conservation
  • Genetics & Evolution
  • Geology
  • Marine Science
  • Materials Science
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine & Health
  • Microbiology
  • Nanotechnology
  • NASA
  • Nutrition & Food Science
  • Paleontology & Dinosaurs
  • Physics
  • Plants & Agriculture
  • Political Science
  • Reality Check
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Sports & Fitness
  • spotlight
  • Spotlight Bugs
  • Terrorism & War
  • Why Is It? Questions
  • Wildlife
  • Year in Review

Find By Date

Science Update
  • About Science Update
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

Image of computer screen depicting an orange cat with a variety of alphanumeric scientific data superimposed on the the screen.
Spotted skunk performing handstand to threaten predators

Copyright © 2025 · Springtail Media LLC · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Pongos