Spain Suffers from Hundreds of Earthquakes Caused by Offshore Drilling; Largest Quake is Magnitude 4.2; Citizens Complain of Cracks and Tremors Whipping Their Homes

An investigation is underway in Spain as to the cause of hundreds of recent earthquakes in the Cataluña region in Spain.

The energy minister says "It appears that there is a relationship between gas injection and earthquakes". Via Mish-modified translation ...

Jose Manuel Soria, the Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism said that it appears that there is a direct relationship between the injection of gas into the underground Castor warehouse and earthquakes.

The minister's remarks come after another night of earthquakes on underground warehouse environment. According to the National Geographic Institute, last night during 23 earthquakes have occurred. Two of them, at one in the morning and half an hour later, recorded a magnitude of 4.1 on the Richter scale. The other earthquakes were registered a magnitude of between 1.7 and 2.9 on the Richter scale, according to the sources.

The most intense ground motion since records began these earthquakes related to the Castor project came in early Tuesday with a magnitude of 4.2.

The Castor project, with an investment of 1,200 million euros, aims to harness an old oil well 1,750 meters below sea level to supply up to a third of the gas demand of the system for 50 days, but apparently, gas injection since September 13 has caused hundreds of earthquakes, most low intensity. Several experts geologists have claimed that many earthquakes are due to "induced seismicity" by the Castor project, caused by the injection of gas into the rock. However, there is no consensus about its risks and evolution.

Citizens Complain of Cracks and Tremors Whipping Their Homes

Via "as is" Google-translation, please consider "I spent half the night"

The residents of the villages near the Castor underground gas storage, near which has registered a surge of earthquakes, tremors live with that uncertainty every night whipping their homes. "was sleeping and moved the closet door that I have just back, I got scared and woke up suddenly, it was very strange, I had never felt anything like it, "says Ricard Fuster, neighbor Alcanar (Tarragona) on the earthquake registered 4.1 degrees last night in the Gulf of Valencia.

In the same terms is expressed Pietat Subirats, 47, sleeplessness trailing by earthquakes: "I've spent half the night. I woke with a start, in my house have noticed the two strongest earthquakes and trembled on my street all, "says this 47-year resident of Alcanar. "First I felt the movement of the bed, then started to shake and furniture throughout the house, the dogs would not stop barking area," he recalls. Pietat is outraged: "In my street were all awake by contacting us through social networks. We are angry because these episodes are becoming worrisome, asking politicians and responsibilities to the company.

The inhabitants of the towns of the Ebro and Castellon collect sleeplessness and tremors stories. Earthquakes, in fact, dominate all neighborhood gatherings: "We are afraid, I have noticed the strongest earthquake that has been, then moved the structure of the house," says Emilio Valls, a real estate agent for 36 years who lives in a three-story building in Sant Martí Mayor Street, in the heart of Alcanar, a few meters from the Plaza Mayor.

Blame Game is On

Here is a rather curious "as is" Google-Translated headline: "The government did not heed the request of the Government to make a seismic report"

Close scrutiny reveals that current government officials blame the previous administration (always a safe thing for politicians to do).

The previous government was warned about the need to analyze the seismic consequences of project implementation Castor, gas marine store located at the Ebro Delta told him the Government before the license granted to initiate activities to Scales UGS, but the Ministry of Industry disregarded regional requests, as explained this morning the Minister for Territory, Santi Vila, who has confirmed this morning there was another earthquake of 4.2 on the Richter scale.

Meanwhile, the president of the council of Castellón, Javier Molinero, has announced that the provincial corporation take legal action "against former ministers responsible for the processing and adjudication of granting Castor underground storage project in the event that there is evidence of negligence in the process carried out by the Government of Spain between 2008 and 2010. " Miller has aimed at Narbonne Cristina, Elena Espinosa, Miguel Sebastian and Joan Clos for their different responsibilities in the project.

The Catalan Minister Santi Vila has held that "the issue is not to laugh, it's serious" after continuous earthquakes that have occurred in the last week, warning that from a intesidad of 4.5 may have direct effects in buildings, with the appearance of cracks. Hence, the Government has contacted the project manager, Escal UGS, to have the certainty that the activity has been stopped.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com