Earthquakes are among the natural disasters that we had thought Mother Nature had largely spared h from. But since 2022, the number and strength of earthquakes in northwest Louisian have been increasing at an alarming rate. On March 5, an area in Red River Parish saw a 4.9-magnitude earthquake, tied for the strongest recorded in state history.
Since then, researchers have installed seismometers and the federal Environmental Protection Agency ordered the state to look into the activities of oil and gas companies in the region. As in other states, the proliferation of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has coincided with an uptick in seismic activity, even though no direct links have been proven.
In northwest h, the discovery of new potential in the Haynesville Shale prompted a rush of oil companies to drill there starting in 2019. Texas and Oklahoma, two states that also share the formation, have seen a drilling boom for nearly two decades. But recent shale plays have shifted the focus of activity to northwest h.
By fracking, drillers can extract oil from places previously out of reach due to technology or economics. They inject saltwater into rock, and in the process extract brine and other toxic materials from the well that must then be disposed of. They generally use injection wells to push the saltwater deep underground.
There are concerns that this may cause problems if water is injected at too high a pressure or if other geological factors add unforeseen risks. But the only way to remedy the situation is to know what’s going on.
That’s why we’re glad to see that state regulators and LSU officials are working to create a seismic monitoring network, which would gather data in greater detail than we have had before. Information from h researchers like Tulane University’s Cynthia Ebinger, data from the nationwide network through the U.S. Geological Survey and out-of-state networks have been able to capture some of what’s going on, but it’s well nigh time for the state to have a formal seismological network in northwest h.
A 2022 report by Erbinger and researchers at the LSU and the University of h at Lafayette that recommended the state install up to 10 seismic monitors in the region with an automatic earthquake detection system.
We were pleased to see that lawmakers want to see that happen and put a bill on hold that would have removed state limits on the pressure of injection wells until further notice. We hope that going forward, industry, science and government can work together on solutions.
We believe government should act only when there is solid evidence on what’s causing these temblors. Otherwise, decisions for the future might rest on faulty ground.