Earthquakes, injection wells, and the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Cleveland, Ohio

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 1988 Earthquakes, injection wells, and the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Cleveland, Ohio Moid U. Ahmad; Moid U. Ahmad 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University Athens, Ohio 45701 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jeffrey A. Smith Jeffrey A. Smith 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University Athens, Ohio 45701 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Moid U. Ahmad 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University Athens, Ohio 45701 Jeffrey A. Smith 1Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University Athens, Ohio 45701 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1988) 16 (8): 739–742. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0739:EIWATP>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Moid U. Ahmad, Jeffrey A. Smith; Earthquakes, injection wells, and the Perry Nuclear Power Plant, Cleveland, Ohio. Geology 1988;; 16 (8): 739–742. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0739:EIWATP>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract On January 31, 1986, an earthquake of Richter magnitude 4.9 occurred in northeastern Ohio some 17.0 km south of the Perry Nuclear Power Plant (PNPP) and 12.0 km south of the Calhio injection wells. Accelerometers on site at the PNPP recorded accelerations as high as 0.19 to 0.23 g. Many instruments tripped due to high-amplitude vibrations. Microearthquake networks have recorded 16 microearthquakes within 5.0 km of the injection wells with focal depths ranging from 1.0 to 3.0 km. A hydrological model of an anisotropic reservoir 7.2 km wide and 18.4 km long indicates a pressure buildup of 5.3 MPa at the epicenter and 11.8 MPa at the injection well. The assumption of an anisotropic reservoir is consistent with available geophysical and geologic data. A pressure increase of 11.8 MPa, based on stress ratio estimates in crustal rocks in the region, is more than sufficient to induce failure to a depth of 5.0 km. Furthermore, brittle faults and extensive fracture permeability within the basement rocks would allow for the migration of pressure transients to hypocentral distances. The indicated pressure buildup of 5.3 MPa at the epicenter may have been sufficient to trigger the January 31, 1986, earthquake. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.