High-rate injection is associated with the increase in U.S. mid-continent seismicity

TLDR

The U.S. mid‑continent has experienced an unprecedented rise in earthquakes since 2009, many of which have been linked to wastewater injection. Using a newly assembled injection‑well database for the central and eastern United States, we investigate how wastewater injection relates to mid‑continent seismicity. The entire increase in earthquake rate is linked to fluid injection wells, with high‑rate wells (>300,000 barrels/month) far more likely to trigger earthquakes, while cumulative volume, pressure, depth, and proximity to crystalline basement show weak correlation; controlling injection rates could reduce induced‑earthquake risk.

Abstract

An unprecedented increase in earthquakes in the U.S. mid-continent began in 2009. Many of these earthquakes have been documented as induced by wastewater injection. We examine the relationship between wastewater injection and U.S. mid-continent seismicity using a newly assembled injection well database for the central and eastern United States. We find that the entire increase in earthquake rate is associated with fluid injection wells. High-rate injection wells (>300,000 barrels per month) are much more likely to be associated with earthquakes than lower-rate wells. At the scale of our study, a well's cumulative injected volume, monthly wellhead pressure, depth, and proximity to crystalline basement do not strongly correlate with earthquake association. Managing injection rates may be a useful tool to minimize the likelihood of induced earthquakes.