The surge in recent years of earthquake activity associated with some oil and gas operations, most notably in Oklahoma, has spurred a range of actions and responses from state geoscientists and regulators. States have taken measures to monitor these earthquakes and moderate the activities that may be causing them, particularly the deep underground injection of large volumes of wastewater. Many states with extensive oil and gas operations but little or no increased earthquake activity have also adopted practices to prevent and prepare for potential induced earthquakes in their area.
Our speakers are:
Jeremy Boak, Ph.D., Director, Oklahoma Geological Survey, Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy, University of Oklahoma | SlidesVideo
Michael H. Young, Ph.D., Associate Director for Environment, Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, John A. and Katherine G. Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin | SlidesVideo
Steven Dade, Geologist 2, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil & Gas Resources Management | SlidesVideo
The U.S. Energy Information Administration provides an interactive map showing the major tight oil and shale gas plays in the lower 48 states.
Tight oil and shale gas are two of the main types of "unconventional" oil and gas resources, and played an important role in the early-21st-century resurgence in domestic production of oil (beginning around 2009) and natural gas (beginning around 2006).
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's nowCOAST web app provides real-time observations, forecasts, and warnings for a wide range of coastal and inland weather, water, air, and hazard issues. Available layers and services include:
The U.S. Geological Survey has produced a visualization that shows how much freshwater is used by each state for a variety of purposes. The visualization resizes the states according to how much freshwater they use.
The visualization shows freshwater withdrawals for thermoelectric power generation, public supply, irrigation, industrial use, or total withdrawals, with data available in 5-year intervals from 1950 to the present.
Click here to access the visualization of state water use.
The Oklahoma Water Resource Board's General Viewer provides a large amount of information on water resources in Oklahoma. The interactive map includes:
The U.S. Geological Survey's Produced Waters app provides information on over 100,000 samples of produced water from the oil and gas industry, waters extracted from hydrothermal systems (geothermal water), and some additional water wells.
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy and using data from the Energy Information Administration, has produced flow charts showing the major sources and uses of energy in every U.S. state in the year 2014.
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy and using data from the U.S. Geological Survey, has produced flow charts showing the major sources and uses of water in every U.S. state in the year 2005.
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Groundwater is often a "transboundary" resource, shared by many groups of people across town, county, state, and international boundaries. Changes in groundwater resources can create unique challenges requiring high levels of cooperation and innovation amongst stakeholder groups, from individuals to the state and federal government levels.
The U.S. Geological Survey's Streamer application allows users to explore where their surface water comes from and where it flows to. By clicking on any major stream or river, the user can trace it upstream to its source(s) or downstream to where it joins a larger river or empties into the ocean.