Can Oil Drilling Cause Earthquakes?

Following a series of mysterious earthquakes, the British county of Surrey is calling for a temporary oil drilling ban, with senior geologists accusing nearby fossil fuel exploration projects of causing the tremors. The demands come after Surrey experienced its 12th earthquake in four months, some hitting magnitudes up to 3.0. The quakes have been felt in towns and villages across the county, including Newdigate, Dorking, Horley and Charlwood.

“Oil drilling, extraction and re-injection can cause earthquakes,” assert scientists in a public letter written to The Times.

"Unstable geology" linked to tremors

The scientists are pinning the tremors on unstable geology and warn they could pose a risk to both environmental and public health.

“The abrupt onset of the earthquake cluster recorded by the British Geological Survey [BGS] at Newdigate since April 1 requires an explanation, and gives rise to our concerns about safety," write the scientists.

They identified two major oil sites in the county, Horse Hill and Brockham, as key areas of concern, stressing that "A causal link with either well site cannot be ruled out, so we need the full picture for the risk assessment.”

Green MEP Keith Taylor agrees, representing both local activists and fellow politicians in saying “the seismic activity in an area where unconventional fossil fuel drilling and testing is active is clearly extremely concerning."

Concerns oil well ruptures could cause groundwater contamination

Of particular concern is the risk of an oil well rupture triggered by an earthquake, which could contaminate groundwater and jeopardise public health. In turn the scientists are urging energy secretary Greg Clark to temporarily ban all drilling, testing and re-injecting projects until the cause of the tremors can be pinpointed and the risk of groundwater pollution ruled out. An investigation is now underway to determine the cause, which includes the installation of earthquake monitors at drilling sites.

Drillers were quick to deny responsibility, with Angus Energy, the company which operates the Brockham site, maintaining there's nothing unconventional about its exploration activities. It's “scientifically and physically” impossible to link the earthquakes to the drilling projects,

says Paul Vonk, managing director of Angus Energy. UK Oil & Gas, the company which operates the Horse Hill site, also maintains that pumping was only carried out during one of the 12 tremors.

It's not the first time the UK has faced earthquakes caused by oil and gas drilling, with the government enforcing a temporary ban on fracking after drilling projects run by Cuadrilla set off a series of tremors near Blackpool in 2011.

From tracking the power of seismic tremors to measuring wavelengths of light over the electromagnetic spectrum, technical equipment plays a central role in modern science. For a closer look at the advanced equipment used in the oil and gas industry, don't miss 'How To Specify a Spectrometer'.