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The study, published Tuesday in Seismological Research Letters, reports that fracking waste injection wells are now the leading cause of earthquakes in Texas. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves thrusting chemicals and water against shale rock to break it up and release oil or gas. The process produces large amounts of waste fluid, or brine, that is either recycled or disposed of in injection wells.
For instance, pumping too much oil out of the ground too quickly caused earthquakes as early as 1925. But âthe recent boom is related to unconventional oil and gas development â fracking,â said Frohlich, who noted there are tens of thousands of injection wells in the state and most donât cause earthquakes.