FRACKING OR GEOTHERMAL, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

  Fracking is Out due to “seismic” shockwaves cause by the use of high pressure pumping…..but Geothermal Heating systems are In despite “seismic” shockwaves caused by the use of high pressure pumping.

Interesting that the Fracking option has been kicked into touch by setting the seismic tremor level lower than that caused by a articulated vehicle passing within twelve feet of the average home.

Geothermal Energy development—specifically Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)—can cause shockwaves and, more commonly, induced seismicity (small earthquakes). These seismic events are typically triggered by high-pressure fluid injection used to create fractures in rock layers. 

Here are the key details regarding geothermal energy and seismic activity:

Induced Seismicity (Micro-earthquakes): When engineers inject water into deep, dry rock to enhance permeability (fracturing), the pressure can cause existing faults to slip or create new fractures. These slips can produce tremors or earthquakes, often felt as vibrations at the surface, though they are usually minor.

Case Studies: Enhanced geothermal projects have induced noticeable seismic activity, such as a 3.4-magnitude tremor in Basel, Switzerland, in 2006 that resulted in the project’s cancellation, and a 5.4-magnitude earthquake in Pohang, South Korea, in 2017.

Drilling Vibrations: During the drilling process, the hard rock, high-temperature, and fractured conditions can cause significant downhole vibrations.

Experimental Techniques: Research into “shockwave-assisted” or “electro-pulse” drilling utilizes high-pressure pulses to fracture rock for geothermal energy, which does produce localized shockwaves.

Risk Management: While seismic activity is an inherent risk of EGS, most micro-earthquakes are monitored and controlled using “traffic light protocols,” allowing engineers to adjust or stop injection if activity increases. 

While these activities are considered “induced earthquakes,” the industry often refers to them as tremors or micro-seismicity, which are generally much smaller than natural earthquakes, although larger, damaging events are possible