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Note:This page contains AI-generated content for informational and entertainment purposes only. It may contain inaccuracies. Raw event data is from USGS and EMSC. All statistics, lists, and derived information are generated by this site. Full disclaimerFound an error?
Location:
8 km NW of Prague, Oklahoma
Period:
16 Jul 2023 05:38:40 - 18 Jul 2023 17:33:31 (2 days 11 hours 54 minutes)
Volcanoes in 100km radius:
None
Earthquakes:
34
13 swarms found nearby.
2011
6 Nov
1 day 23 hours
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AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20230717.1: Analysis of Activity Near Prague, Oklahoma

The seismic swarm designated S20230717.1 occurred 8 km northwest of Prague, Oklahoma, beginning at 05:38 on 16 July 2023 and concluding at 17:33 on 18 July 2023. Over 59 hours and 54 minutes, 34 earthquakes were recorded. This event represents the second swarm documented in the area since 2000, following the sole prior occurrence in 2011.

Magnitudes within the swarm ranged from 0.6 to 3.3, with the largest event (magnitude 3.3) taking place at 20:54:47 on 16 July 2023 at a depth of 6 km. A magnitude 3.0 earthquake followed shortly afterward at 20:57:19 on the same day, at 7 km depth. Depths across the sequence were consistently shallow, predominantly between 6 km and 8 km, with the majority clustered at 7 km. Smaller events (magnitudes below 1.5) constituted the bulk of the activity, interspersed with moderate shocks such as the magnitude 2.5 at 00:31:47 on 17 July and the magnitude 2.2 events on both 16 and 18 July.

The temporal distribution showed peak activity during the evening of 16 July and early hours of 17 July, with a gradual decline thereafter until the final event on 18 July. This pattern is characteristic of swarm sequences, where numerous events occur without a dominant mainshock-aftershock progression.

Prague lies within Lincoln County in central Oklahoma, part of the Nemaha Uplift and adjacent to the Wilzetta Fault system. The regional geology features Precambrian basement rocks overlain by Paleozoic sedimentary layers, including the Arbuckle Group, which serves as a primary target for wastewater disposal from hydrocarbon production. Seismicity in this intraplate setting is largely induced by fluid injection that alters pore pressures along pre-existing faults, promoting slip. The 2011 swarm in the same locale included the magnitude 5.7 Prague earthquake, one of the largest induced events in the central United States, highlighting the area's ongoing susceptibility.

Since 2000, Oklahoma has recorded elevated earthquake rates linked to oil and gas operations, with the Prague vicinity serving as a notable example of clustered activity. The current swarm aligns with this established pattern of shallow, injection-related events.

References

Oklahoma Geological Survey earthquake catalog
USGS Earthquake Hazards Program records
SeismoSight internal swarm classification data