Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure Diffusion

Abstract Pressure diffusion from high‐volume saltwater disposal wells near the Kansas‐Oklahoma border appears to have contributed to triggering earthquakes as far as 90 km away. Elevated seismicity that began in southern Kansas in 2013 is largely believed to be induced by pore pressure increase from...

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Main Authors: Shelby L. Peterie, Richard D. Miller, John W. Intfen, Julio B. Gonzales
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-02-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076334
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author Shelby L. Peterie
Richard D. Miller
John W. Intfen
Julio B. Gonzales
author_facet Shelby L. Peterie
Richard D. Miller
John W. Intfen
Julio B. Gonzales
author_sort Shelby L. Peterie
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Pressure diffusion from high‐volume saltwater disposal wells near the Kansas‐Oklahoma border appears to have contributed to triggering earthquakes as far as 90 km away. Elevated seismicity that began in southern Kansas in 2013 is largely believed to be induced by pore pressure increase from dozens of disposal wells injecting unprecedented volumes. Earthquakes initially occurred in dense swarms near the wells, and in subsequent years migrated into surrounding areas with minimal fluid injection. By 2017, earthquakes advanced 90 km from areas surrounding the high‐volume injection wells into areas with considerable fluid injection volumes but historically consistent rates. Fluid pressure within the injection interval in southern Kansas increased subsequent to high‐volume saltwater disposal in southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma. Temporal pressure trends across central Kansas suggest that fluid migration and pressure diffusion from cumulative disposal to the south likely induced earthquakes much farther than previously documented for individual injection wells.
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spelling doaj-art-63b9282983de41f987a40bc507149e7c2025-08-20T03:09:42ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072018-02-014531395140110.1002/2017GL076334Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure DiffusionShelby L. Peterie0Richard D. Miller1John W. Intfen2Julio B. Gonzales3Kansas Geological Survey University of Kansas Lawrence KS USAKansas Geological Survey University of Kansas Lawrence KS USAKansas Geological Survey University of Kansas Lawrence KS USAKansas Geological Survey University of Kansas Lawrence KS USAAbstract Pressure diffusion from high‐volume saltwater disposal wells near the Kansas‐Oklahoma border appears to have contributed to triggering earthquakes as far as 90 km away. Elevated seismicity that began in southern Kansas in 2013 is largely believed to be induced by pore pressure increase from dozens of disposal wells injecting unprecedented volumes. Earthquakes initially occurred in dense swarms near the wells, and in subsequent years migrated into surrounding areas with minimal fluid injection. By 2017, earthquakes advanced 90 km from areas surrounding the high‐volume injection wells into areas with considerable fluid injection volumes but historically consistent rates. Fluid pressure within the injection interval in southern Kansas increased subsequent to high‐volume saltwater disposal in southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma. Temporal pressure trends across central Kansas suggest that fluid migration and pressure diffusion from cumulative disposal to the south likely induced earthquakes much farther than previously documented for individual injection wells.https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076334injection‐induced seismicityearthquakespressurediffusion
spellingShingle Shelby L. Peterie
Richard D. Miller
John W. Intfen
Julio B. Gonzales
Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure Diffusion
Geophysical Research Letters
injection‐induced seismicity
earthquakes
pressure
diffusion
title Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure Diffusion
title_full Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure Diffusion
title_fullStr Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure Diffusion
title_full_unstemmed Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure Diffusion
title_short Earthquakes in Kansas Induced by Extremely Far‐Field Pressure Diffusion
title_sort earthquakes in kansas induced by extremely far field pressure diffusion
topic injection‐induced seismicity
earthquakes
pressure
diffusion
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076334
work_keys_str_mv AT shelbylpeterie earthquakesinkansasinducedbyextremelyfarfieldpressurediffusion
AT richarddmiller earthquakesinkansasinducedbyextremelyfarfieldpressurediffusion
AT johnwintfen earthquakesinkansasinducedbyextremelyfarfieldpressurediffusion
AT juliobgonzales earthquakesinkansasinducedbyextremelyfarfieldpressurediffusion