Fracking mess

THE two sizable earthquakes that Pakenham and Gippsland experienced last week were a stern reminder that we sit on four major fault systems with dozens of fault lines connected to each.
A poster-sized map is needed to show all of these named fault lines. The quakes were also a warning of the risk if we allow fracking for unconventional gas. Gippsland is almost all covered by exploration licences for coal seam gas or tight gas – Gippsland being almost all tight gas which needs fracking.
To frack for tight gas about 16 trucks are lined up, each loaded with a huge compressor, and with this combined force the two-kilometre deep solid rock is cracked apart for a distance of two kilometres across to release the small specks of compressed gas (Google “Marcellus AirWV photos”).
The gas companies wish to do this thousands of times in Gippsland (over 40,000 predicted for Australia).
Some 12 wells were drilled in Seaspray (10 of them fracked) plus other exploration activity was carried out in the last two years.
Is the increase in earthquakes lately already showing the result of gas exploration? Wouldn’t it be insanity to allow fracking in Gippsland? The connection between gas wells and earthquakes has already been proven in many places around the world.. Google “earthquakes fracking” and then add “UK” or “Chile” or “China” or “Ohio” or “US” etc. or “Romsey Australia Volcanic Risk maps – human induced quakes.”
Maureen Versteden,
Drouin.