eprintid: 1252 rev_number: 14 eprint_status: archive userid: 2 dir: disk0/00/00/12/52 datestamp: 2015-02-16 08:14:30 lastmod: 2017-02-08 12:21:34 status_changed: 2015-04-27 12:10:33 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Ellsworth, William L. creators_id: ellsworth@usgs.gov corp_creators: Earthquake Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, USA title: Injection-Induced Earthquakes ispublished: pub subjects: RU subjects: SHU subjects: SS divisions: EPOS-P full_text_status: none abstract: Earthquakes in unusual locations have become an important topic of discussion in both North America and Europe, owing to the concern that industrial activity could cause damaging earthquakes. It has long been understood that earthquakes can be induced by impoundment of reservoirs, surface and underground mining, withdrawal of fluids and gas from the subsurface, and injection of fluids into underground formations. Injection-induced earthquakes have, in particular, become a focus of discussion as the application of hydraulic fracturing to tight shale formations is enabling the production of oil and gas from previously unproductive formations. Earthquakes can be induced as part of the process to stimulate the production from tight shale formations, or by disposal of wastewater associated with stimulation and production. Here, I review recent seismic activity that may be associated with industrial activity, with a focus on the disposal of wastewater by injection in deep wells; assess the scientific understanding of induced earthquakes; and discuss the key scientific challenges to be met for assessing this hazard. date: 2013-07-12 date_type: published publication: Science volume: 341 number: 6142 publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science pagerange: 1225942-1225942 id_number: doi:10.1126/science.1225942 refereed: TRUE issn: 0036-8075 official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1225942 access_IS-EPOS: limited owner: Publisher citation: Ellsworth, William L. (2013) Injection-Induced Earthquakes. Science, 341 (6142). p. 1225942. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1225942