Location:

Period:

11 Dec 2023 23:48:26 - 16 Dec 2023 22:42:07 (4 days 22 hours 53 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

None

Earthquakes:

32 swarms found nearby.

2022

S20221116.2(9.1km)

16 Nov

13 days 8 hours

265 earthquakes

2023

S20230102.1(12.9km)

1 Jan

2 days 19 hours

46 earthquakes

S20230115.1(20.5km)

14 Jan

5 days 9 hours

72 earthquakes

S20230125.1(28.1km)

24 Jan

2 days 19 hours

55 earthquakes

S20230222.1(13.8km)

21 Feb

6 days 0 hours

68 earthquakes

S20230314.2(17.2km)

13 Mar

1 day 10 hours

28 earthquakes

S20230808.1(20.4km)

8 Aug

1 day 23 hours

36 earthquakes

S20231102.1(20.4km)

1 Nov

15 days 18 hours

271 earthquakes

S20231108.1(16.7km)

7 Nov

1 day 17 hours

142 earthquakes

S20231205.1(17.5km)

4 Dec

2 days 0 hours

39 earthquakes

S20231213.1(28.4km)

12 Dec

3 days 3 hours

35 earthquakes

S20231230.2(14.9km)

30 Dec

2 days 1 hours

47 earthquakes

2024

S20240107.1(12.2km)

6 Jan

7 days 18 hours

96 earthquakes

S20240214.2(21.1km)

13 Feb

1 day 19 hours

33 earthquakes

S20240508.1(8.0km)

7 May

2 days 21 hours

33 earthquakes

S20240602.1(4.5km)

1 Jun

1 day 10 hours

31 earthquakes

S20240617.2(4.0km)

16 Jun

3 days 4 hours

49 earthquakes

S20240804.1(8.3km)

3 Aug

1 day 7 hours

26 earthquakes

S20240926.1(18.2km)

25 Sep

1 day 20 hours

31 earthquakes

2025

S20250215.1(3.8km)

14 Feb

4 days 8 hours

53 earthquakes

S20250531.1(15.4km)

31 May

4 days 8 hours

74 earthquakes

S20250607.1(22.0km)

6 Jun

8 days 1 hours

155 earthquakes

S20250614.1(1.8km)

14 Jun

9 hours

32 earthquakes

S20250617.1(2.6km)

16 Jun

4 days 0 hours

67 earthquakes

S20250624.1(11.7km)

24 Jun

7 days 0 hours

73 earthquakes

S20250725.1(9.9km)

24 Jul

9 days 23 hours

142 earthquakes

S20250812.1(21.0km)

11 Aug

4 days 16 hours

68 earthquakes

S20250821.1(5.7km)

21 Aug

29 days 18 hours

332 earthquakes

S20250924.1(3.9km)

24 Sep

2 days 14 hours

59 earthquakes

S20251118.1(14.6km)

17 Nov

1 day 16 hours

28 earthquakes

2026

S20260307.1(17.4km)

7 Mar

1 day 17 hours

32 earthquakes

S20260416.1(29.3km)

15 Apr

2 days 7 hours

46 earthquakes

AI-generated article — for informational and entertainment purposes only. May contain inaccuracies. Full disclaimerFound an error?

Seismic Swarm S20231212.1: Analysis of Activity Northwest of Toyah, Texas

Seismic swarm S20231212.1 occurred approximately 55 km northwest of Toyah in Reeves County, Texas, within the Delaware Basin portion of the Permian Basin. The sequence began at 23:48 UTC on 11 December 2023 and concluded at 22:42 UTC on 16 December 2023, spanning 118 hours and 53 minutes. During this interval, 65 earthquakes were recorded, with magnitudes ranging from 0.9 to 3.8 and focal depths primarily between 4 km and 7 km.

The swarm featured several events exceeding magnitude 3.0, including a peak magnitude 3.8 earthquake on 13 December at 15:47 UTC at 7 km depth. Additional notable shocks reached magnitude 3.6 on 12 December and multiple magnitude 3.1 events clustered within the first 48 hours. Activity showed an initial burst followed by sustained lower-magnitude events, with 24-hour counts peaking early before gradually declining. Depths remained consistent in the shallow sedimentary section, typical of induced sequences in this basin.

The Delaware Basin hosts thick Paleozoic carbonate and clastic sequences overlying Precambrian basement. Regional tectonics reflect a stable cratonic interior with minimal natural seismicity prior to industrial development. Since the expansion of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing in the 2010s, wastewater injection into deep disposal wells has correlated with elevated earthquake rates across the Permian Basin. This swarm aligns with that pattern, occurring in an area of active hydrocarbon production.

Historical records indicate ten swarms in the broader region since 1 January 2000. One swarm took place in 2022, while nine occurred in 2023, marking a sharp increase in clustered activity. These sequences share similar magnitude distributions and shallow depths, reinforcing the link to ongoing fluid-injection practices rather than tectonic fault reactivation alone.

No damage or felt reports were associated with this swarm, consistent with its moderate magnitudes and rural location. Continued monitoring remains important given the basin’s production trends and the potential for larger events if injection volumes increase.

References

U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Catalog (earthquake.usgs.gov)
Texas Seismological Network, Bureau of Economic Geology
SeismoSight internal swarm classification S20231212.1