Study links swarm of quakes in Texas to natural gas drilling

From the AP via FuelFix:

With real-time monitors, scientists have linked a swarm of small earthquakes west of Fort Worth, Texas, to nearby natural gas wells and wastewater injection.

In 84 days from November 2013 to January 2014, the area around Azle, Texas, shook with 27 magnitude 2 or greater earthquakes, while scientists at Southern Methodist University and the U.S. Geological Survey monitored the shaking. It’s an area that had no recorded quakes for 150 years on faults that “have been inactive for hundreds of millions of years,” said SMU geophysicist Matthew Hornbach.

More here.

This is kind of so obviously true that it doesn't really even merit comment. On the other hand, the petroleum industry has massive legal departments that eat entire towns for breakfast, and even then, pretty much the entire Ledge is ready to run interference in Austin for all their oil cronies. That's why there needs to be solid unimpeachable evidence that fracking causes earthquakes. For, you know, a bunch of lawsuits that will hopefully be filed really soon.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$