HISTORY AND RESPONSE TO INDUCED SEISMICITY IN ARKANSAS WITH EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS CASE STUDIES... WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED?

Abstract

North-central Arkansas has seen a significant increase since 2009 in both unconventional resource development and seismicity in the Fayetteville Shale Play area. Though this area is historically seismically active (Enola earthquake swarm of 1982), the recent increase in seismic activity is likely explained by both natural processes and human-activity. In this presentation, we will discuss and compare three published case studies, including the Guy-Greenbrier earthquake swarm of 2010-2012, a second swarm occurring from 2009-2010 near Greenbrier, Arkansas and the potential relationship between injection/disposal wells and earthquake activity around 1990. We will also discuss regulatory actions that occurred because of the research conducted on these swarms. Finally, we will compare these three cases with an unpublished case involving one of the first proposed SWDs in the Fayetteville Play.