Utica Shale Hopes and Fears Discussed at Cleveland Conference

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Professor Mark Zoback
From The Plain Dealer:
Tuesday, a scientist at a Cleveland conference on Utica shale gas developmentin Ohio said seismic activity with hydraulic fracturing is actually very common. The conference was hosted by Case Western Reserve University, and co-sponsored by Cleveland State University and Kent State University. 
Forcing fluids underground -- either while hydraulic fracturing of shale rock to release gas and oil, or when shooting waste water into injection wells -- routinely produces "micro-seismic events" said Mark Zoback, professor of earth science and geophysics at Stanford University. 
It's important to note, Zoback said, that miniature earthquakes occur anyway, nearly everywhere there are fault zones in the earth's tectonic plates. What pushing fluids underground can do is hasten what would have happened 1,000 years, 10,000 years or more in the future, he said. 
"So is it something to worry about?" Zoback said to an audience of engineers, scientists, students and community activists gathered at Severance Hall for the conference on opportunities and challenges presented by shale gas for our region. "The answer is yes."
There were other things discussed at the conference yesterday as well, and you can read more here.  The conference continues today until 12:30 PM.

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