Denver area earthquakes and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal disposal well

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 UTC 1966 · Mt. Geol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6805542

Evans, D M

During 1961, a deep well was drilled at the Rocky Mt. Arsenal northeast of Denver, CO, to dispose of contaminated waste water. The well is bottomed in 75 ft of highly fractured Precambrian gneiss. Pressure injection of waste water into the fractured Precambrian rock was begun in March 1962. Since the start of fluid injection, 710 Denver-area earthquakes have been recorded. The majority of these earthquakes had epicenters within a 5-mile radius of the Arsenal well. The volume of fluid and pressure of fluid injection appear to be directly related to the frequency of earthquakes. Evidence also suggests that rock movement is due to the increase of fluid pressure within the fractured reservoir and that open fractures may exist at depths greater than previously considered possible. (19 refs.)

• OSTI ID: 6805542
• Journal Information: Mt. Geol.; (United States), Journal Name: Mt. Geol.; (United States) Vol. 3:1; ISSN MOGEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580201* -- Geophysics-- Seismology & Tectonics-- (1980-1989)
COLORADO
COMMINUTION
CONTAMINATION
EARTHQUAKES
ECONOMICS
FLUID FLOW
FRACTURING
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MAPS
NORTH AMERICA
PRECAMBRIAN ERA
ROCKS
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SEISMIC EFFECTS
SEISMIC EVENTS
STRATIGRAPHY
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WELLS