An analysis of five earthquake sequences associated with hydraulic fracturing (HF) in eastern Ohio from 2013-2015 indicates that the earthquakes fall into classes: deep, Precambrian basement earthquakes and relatively shallow, Paleozoic rock earthquakes; deep earthquakes were more likely to be large in magnitude and continue after HF ceased, compared with shallow earthquakes, suggesting that seismic hazards associated with HF increase with the maturity of the activated fault.
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Article #17-15284: "Maturity of nearby faults influences seismic hazard from hydraulic fracturing," by Maria Koz?owska et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Maria Koz?owska, Miami University, Oxford, OH; e-mail: <kozlowma@miamioh.edu>
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences