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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.
In addition to water contamination, some worry about the amount of water needed to frack a well. Fracking can also create small earthquakes if done along faults. But the big concern with earthquakes has come with the disposal of used frack water in deep injection wells.