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Swiss Geologist On Trial For Causing Earthquakes
Hugh Pickens writes "BBC reports that Markus Haering's company had been working with the authorities in Basel, Switzerland to try to convert the heat in deep-seated rocks into electricity, but the project was suspended in 2006 when drilling triggered earthquakes, one of them with a magnitude of 3.4, leading Haering's company to pay out $9M in damages. Haering's team planned to drill a series of holes penetrating up to 3 miles (4.8 km) underground with water being pumped onto rocks with a temperature of more than 195C. Basel's location on top of a fault line – the upper Rhine trench – had been deliberately chosen because the heat was closer to the Earth's surface. A risk assessment has since shown that the prospect of further quakes is too high to continue drilling in the city. Haering faces up to five years in prison if the judge finds he intentionally damaged property. Haering has admitted the 3.4 magnitude earthquake was stronger than he had expected and that his team 'had very little knowledge of seismicity' before starting to drill, but called the quakes 'a learning process for everyone involved.' Despite Haering's trial, the Swiss appetite for geothermal projects has not diminished. Engineers are beginning preliminary drilling in Zurich to see whether that area was suitable for a similar scheme, and St. Gallen, in eastern Switzerland, plans to start work on its own geothermal project next year. Drilling efforts are being closely watched in the US, where the energy department is sponsoring more than 120 geothermal energy projects in several states."
Hey, gotta break a few eggs (and dishes) to make an omelet.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
I doubt the geologist is at fault. However, his defense rests on really shaky ground.
We learned that causing earthquakes costs 9 million dollars and a 5 year stretch. I had always wondered.
Blast it, I failed the broadcast take over announcing my intentions for world domination! It was my demostration of my earthquake machine! me, me ME!
Demented But Determined.
Just imagine the other inmates, 'So, what are you in for?'
Some people are only alive because it's against the law for me to hunt them down and kill them.
In other news, Swiss marine biologist accused of attaching lasers to the heads of sharks.
Seriously, if this guy changes his name to Dr. Quake or some other reasonable mad scientist name his only punishment should be a lecture from the super hero of his choice.
__________
On a more serious note, this is pretty scary. His excuse that the result was stronger than he expected is lame - when dealing with things of this magnitude you should try to be as certain as possible. Calling such a damaging incident "a learning process" seems a little asinine. I hope no one was hurt.
...yellowstone's got lot of potential for geothermal energy.
I imagine he would be seen as an evil supervillain like Lex Luthor or something, and emerge from jail with a small army to do his geological bidding.
those pesky minarets! Yeppers!
Is your name Louis Michaud?
Nobody pushes buttons like our bunny. Big red buttons with labels that say "IGNITION", apparently.
... trying to selectively topple minarets.
"Press to test."
(click)
"Release to detonate."
Just imagine the other inmates, 'So, what are you in for?'
Drilling holes with deep penetration. With a ground shaking climax.
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. - Yogi Berra
I hate to be pedantic (ahem), but heat from the earth's core is nuclear power, since it is the decay of radioactive materials that heats the core.
But cooling the earth's core would halt continental drift. Did anyone think of that? And then where would we be? Screwed, that where.
People just don't think these things through.