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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.
Now research presented this week at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco that will be published in the December 12 issue of Science indicates that earthquakes along one type of fault in the area could trigger temblors along other faults.