Energy Current: Earthquake fears from EGS project overblown

Alexander Richter 24 Jul 2009

In continuation of an ongoing media hype about earthquakes possibly being induced by EGS projects, Energy Current looks at the topic again and believes “fears to appear overblown”.

The article talks about, that “While AltaRock Energy’s proposed enhanced geothermal system (EGS) to extract energy from a portion of The Geysers geothermal field in northern California will produce some earthquakes, the earthquakes will likely be of the magnitude of 2.3 of smaller, according to David Oppenheimer, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Concerns about earthquakes are realistic, as AltaRock will be trying to extract energy from a portion of The Geysers field with very little to no fluid in it. However, from a public hazard point of view, the earthquakes should not be a big concern.

Oppenheimer said the public and the media have been confused about the project, not distinguishing between the stimulation phase of the project, which would last two weeks, in which fluid would be pumped down into the well drilled into the igneous rock felsite to stimulate fractures that would generate steam, and the production phase. The drilling has not been the issue, but the fracturing of the rock.”

For the full article see link below.

Source: Energy Current