"U.S. Maps Pinpoint Earthquakes Linked to Quest for Oil and Gas"

"The United States Geological Survey on Thursday released its first comprehensive assessment of the link between thousands of earthquakes and oil and gas operations, identifying and mapping 17 regions where quakes have occurred.

The report was the agency’s broadest statement yet on a danger that has grown along with the nation’s energy production.

By far the hardest-hit state, the report said, is Oklahoma, where earthquakes are hundreds of times more common than they were until a few years ago because of the disposal of wastewater left over from extracting fuels and from drilling wells by injecting water into the earth. But the report also mapped parts of eight other states, from Lake Erie to the Rocky Mountains, where that practice has caused quakes, and said most of them were at risk for more significant shaking in the future."

Richard Pérez-Peña reports for the New York Times April 23, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"Man-Made Earthquakes On The Rise In Eastern and Central U.S., Report Finds" (Huffington Post)

"Man-Made Earthquakes Increasing in Central And Eastern U.s., Study Finds" (Los Angeles Times)

"New Insight on Ground Shaking from Man-Made Earthquakes" (USGS Release)

"Scientists Convinced of Tie Between Earthquakes And Drilling" (AP)

Source: NY Times, 04/24/2015