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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.
Earthquakes are caused by the movements of the huge tectonic plates that make up Earthâs outer crust. Driven by currents in the semi-molten layer below the crust, the plates slowly drift over Earthâs surface and collide, grind together, or pull apart.