In Scurry, Texas, a small town in Kaufman County near Dallas, saw a series of 103 earthquakes over the past eight days which has prompted local officials to declare a state of emergency. The seismic activity began on July 22 with a magnitude 4.9 earthquake, and subsequent tremors have caused damage to houses and businesses in the area.
Among the recent earthquakes, 12 registered with a magnitude of three or higher. This unusual level of seismic activity is drawing attention because Texas is not known for frequent earthquakes, as it is generally not considered a seismically active region.

 

Local experts suggest that the recent earthquakes may be linked to the area’s oil fields. New drilling technologies, which allow companies to drill both vertically and horizontally along oil formations, have increased the extraction of oil and natural gas. This process also brings up large quantities of saltwater, which cannot be discharged into rivers or oceans and is instead disposed of underground in a practice known as saltwater disposal.

 

The large volumes of saltwater injected into the ground are believed to contribute to seismic activity, with many experts pointing to this disposal method as a possible cause of the recent earthquakes. The Railroad Commission of Texas, the body responsible for regulating the state’s oil and natural gas industry, has announced that it is investigating any potential links between the tremors and the saltwater disposal practices This investigation is aims to reduce earthquakes, protect the residents of the area as well as lessen the environmental impact.

 

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