Since 2009, earthquake activity has greatly increased in the central and eastern United States. A new report from U.S. earthquake experts links drilling for oil and gas with the rise in the number of earthquakes in those areas.

自2009年以来美国中部和东部地区地震发生频率大大增加。一份来自美国地震专家的报告称该地区的地震发生频率与石油钻探和天然气开采活动有关。

It is widely known that certain parts of oil and gas drilling can lead to small earthquakes. The United States has expanded its oil and gas production in recent years.

人们都知道中部地区的石油和天然气开采活动会导致小规模地震发生。美国在最近几年扩大了石油和天然气生产的规模。

Critics blame the use of a drilling method known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for the increase in earthquakes. Fracking involves forcing high-pressure water, sand and chemicals into rock formations deep underground.

批评人士指责称能源开采方法造成了地震的频发，熟知的开采方法有水力压裂，或者压裂法等。压裂能用高压将水，沙子和化学物质冲到地下深处岩层。

The U.S. Geological Survey published a report on a study of 17 fracking areas within eight states in the central and eastern parts of the U.S. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

美国地质调查局发表过一篇关于美国中部和东部地区八个州里17个压裂地区的报告。这些州地包括阿拉巴马州，阿肯色州，科罗拉多州，堪萨斯州，新墨西哥州，俄亥俄州，俄克拉荷马州和德克萨斯州。

Fracturing the underground rock releases oil and gas trapped inside. It also creates a large amount of wastewater. Roger Musson of the British Geological Survey says the problem is what to do with that water. Mr. Musson spoke to VOA by telephone.

压裂可以释放地下岩石下的石油和天然气。同时制造大量废水。英国地质调查局Roger Musson说问题是大量废水该如何处理。Roger Musson通过电话与VOA进行了对话。

He says injecting wastewater into the ground to dispose of it is what causes earthquakes in the affected areas.It does this by loosening faults, or divisions, in the rocks that make up Earth's crust.

他说向地下注入废水是引发该地区地震频发的原因，这种做法会导致地壳岩石组织疏松。

"Below the water table, there is water in the rocks. And if you change the pressure in that water, then it has the effect of lubricating the faults," he says.

在地下水位下面岩石层中含有水分。如果改变地下水位压力将会产生润滑故障。

The USGS report says the new areas of earthquake activity are located "near deep fluid injection wells or other industrial activities capable of inducing earthquakes."

美国地质调查局报道称新产生的地震频发领域位于深层液体注射水井或者其他可能诱发地震的工业活动地区。

The most significant increase has occurred in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma. Before 2008, Oklahoma had just one or two earthquakes a year with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater. Now, Oklahoma has one or two such earthquakes every day.

最重要的地震频发带出现在美国中部的俄克拉荷马州。在2008年之前，俄克拉荷马州一年仅发生一次或者两次地震，震级为3级或者再高一点。现在俄克拉荷马州每天就会发生一次或者两次这种地震。

In a recent report, the state of Oklahoma said for the first time it is "very likely" that the rise in earthquakes has been caused by the disposal of wastewater from oil and gas drilling.

在最近的一份报道中，俄克拉荷马州首次称地震频发极有可能是对石油和天然气开采产生的废水处理不当的结果。

Most of the so-called manmade earthquakes have been small and have done little damage. But experts warn there is no guarantee earthquake activity will not increase and cause more damage.

大多数所谓的人造地震一般震级较小破坏力也较小。但是专家警告称不能保证地震发生次数和破坏力不会上升。

"This is being debated very urgently by seismologists," Roger Musson says. Currently, scientists believe that wastewater injection can produce earthquakes in the magnitude 4 or 5 range. "But the upper limit is really very difficult to judge," Mr. Musson says.

Roger Musson说地震专家对这个问题的争论非常迫切。目前，科学家认为废水注入可能诱发4级或者5级地震。但是关于地震级别的上限非常难以判断。

Environmental rights activists have criticized fracking. They say it pollutes groundwater and sends harmful gases into the atmosphere.

环境维权人士批评这种压裂做法，他们说这种做法会污染地下水资源并且会向大气层输送有害气体。

Supporters of fracking say the innovative drilling process has helped grow the U.S. economy and has reduced American dependence on foreign oil. They add that the reports linking earthquakes to drilling activity are exaggerated.

支持者认为创新钻井过程帮助美国发展了经济，减少了美国对外来石油的依赖。他们还说关于地震和钻井活动的关联被夸张了。

I'm Jonathan Evans.

William Gallo reported this story from Washington. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fracture – v. to cause a crack or break in something hard

fault – n. a break in the Earth's crust

inject – v. to force a liquid into something

innovative – adj. introducing or using new ideas or methods

magnitude – n. a number that shows the power of an earthquake

exaggerate – v. to describe something as larger or greater than it really is

Since 2009, earthquake activity has greatly increased in the central and eastern United States. A new report from U.S. earthquake experts links drilling for oil and gas with the rise in the number of earthquakes in those areas.

It is widely known that certain parts of oil and gas drilling can lead to small earthquakes. The United States has expanded its oil and gas production in recent years.

Critics blame the use of a drilling method known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for the increase in earthquakes. Fracking involves forcing high-pressure water, sand and chemicals into rock formations deep underground.

The U.S. Geological Survey published a report on a study of 17 fracking areas within eight states in the central and eastern parts of the U.S. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

Fracturing the underground rock releases oil and gas trapped inside. It also creates a large amount of wastewater. Roger Musson of the British Geological Survey says the problem is what to do with that water. Mr. Musson spoke to VOA by telephone.

He says injecting wastewater into the ground to dispose of it is what causes earthquakes in the affected areas.It does this by loosening faults, or divisions, in the rocks that make up Earth's crust.

"Below the water table, there is water in the rocks. And if you change the pressure in that water, then it has the effect of lubricating the faults," he says.

The USGS report says the new areas of earthquake activity are located "near deep fluid injection wells or other industrial activities capable of inducing earthquakes."

The most significant increase has occurred in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma. Before 2008, Oklahoma had just one or two earthquakes a year with a magnitude of 3.0 or greater. Now, Oklahoma has one or two such earthquakes every day.

In a recent report, the state of Oklahoma said for the first time it is "very likely" that the rise in earthquakes has been caused by the disposal of wastewater from oil and gas drilling.

Most of the so-called manmade earthquakes have been small and have done little damage. But experts warn there is no guarantee earthquake activity will not increase and cause more damage.

"This is being debated very urgently by seismologists," Roger Musson says. Currently, scientists believe that wastewater injection can produce earthquakes in the magnitude 4 or 5 range. "But the upper limit is really very difficult to judge," Mr. Musson says.

Environmental rights activists have criticized fracking. They say it pollutes groundwater and sends harmful gases into the atmosphere.

Supporters of fracking say the innovative drilling process has helped grow the U.S. economy and has reduced American dependence on foreign oil. They add that the reports linking earthquakes to drilling activity are exaggerated.

I'm Jonathan Evans.

William Gallo reported this story from Washington. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fracture – v. to cause a crack or break in something hard

fault – n. a break in the Earth's crust

inject – v. to force a liquid into something

innovative – adj. introducing or using new ideas or methods

magnitude – n. a number that shows the power of an earthquake

exaggerate – v. to describe something as larger or greater than it really is