Human Drilling Caused 2006 Volcano Eruption - Report
When a volcano erupted in Indonesia in 2006, belching out massive amounts of mud that ultimately led to the displacement of 30,000 people and millions of dollars in damage, many pointed to an earthquake that had occurred a few days prior. Unfortunately, we can't blame nature for what happened, as a new report from UC Berkeley points the finger straight at a gas exploration well that was being drilled in the region.
Read More (Source: Eureka Alert)This theory was challenged by the company that drilled the well and some experts who argued that the Yogyakarta earthquake two days before the eruption, which had an epicentre 250km from the mud volcano, was the cause.
Graduate student Maria Brumm and Prof Michael Manga of University of California, Berkeley undertook a systematic study to test the claims that the eruption was caused by this earthquake. They found that none of the ways earthquakes trigger eruptions could have played a role at Lusi.
Prof Michael Manga, of University of California, Berkeley, said: "We have known for hundreds of years that earthquakes can trigger eruptions. In this case, the earthquake was simply too small and too far away."
The new report concludes the effect of the earthquake was minimal because the change in pressure underground due to the earthquake would have been tiny. Instead, scientists are "99 per cent" certain drilling operations were to blame.
Prof Davies, of Durham University's Centre for Research into Earth Energy Systems (CeREES) explained: "We show that the day before the mud volcano started there was a huge 'kick' in the well, which is an influx of fluid and gas into the wellbore. We show that after the kick the pressure in the well went beyond a critical level."
"This resulted in the leakage of the fluid from the well and the rock formations to the surface � a so called 'underground blowout'. This fluid picked up mud during its accent and Lusi was born.
