Seismic Swarm S20250215.1: Analysis of Activity South of Whites City, New Mexico

SeismoSight recorded swarm S20250215.1 beginning at 17:04 on 14 February 2025 and concluding at 01:53 on 19 February 2025. The events occurred 57 km south of Whites City, New Mexico, within the Delaware Basin portion of the Permian Basin. Over 104 hours and 49 minutes, the swarm comprised 53 earthquakes.

The largest event reached magnitude 5.0 at a depth of 6 km on 15 February at 05:23:21 UTC. Subsequent activity included a magnitude 3.8 event minutes later, followed by numerous smaller shocks predominantly between magnitudes 1.4 and 2.9. Depths ranged from 3 km to 7 km, consistent with shallow crustal processes in the region. The sequence showed a rapid initial burst on 15 February, with diminishing frequency over the following days and a final event of magnitude 1.5.

This swarm aligns with the tectonic setting of southeastern New Mexico. The area lies in the western Permian Basin, underlain by thick Paleozoic sedimentary sequences deposited during the Permian Period approximately 299 to 251 million years ago. These strata overlie Precambrian basement rocks and are deformed by subtle structures associated with the ancestral Rocky Mountains and later Laramide orogeny. Natural seismicity in the broader region stems from far-field stresses transmitted from the Rio Grande Rift to the west and the Basin and Range province.

Historical data indicate recurrent swarm behavior. Since 1 January 2000, twenty swarms have been documented in the vicinity. Activity increased notably after 2022, with one swarm that year, twelve in 2023, and seven in 2024. Such patterns suggest episodic fluid migration or stress perturbations within the sedimentary column, potentially modulated by both tectonic loading and anthropogenic factors such as hydrocarbon extraction and wastewater disposal common throughout the Permian Basin.

The February 2025 swarm exhibited typical characteristics of swarm sequences: lack of a single dominant mainshock-aftershock decay and clustering in both time and space. Magnitudes remained modest after the initial 5.0 event, with no reported damage or felt reports exceeding minor intensities. Depths clustered around 5–7 km, placing events within or immediately above the crystalline basement interface.

Continued monitoring by regional networks remains essential for distinguishing natural tectonic signals from possible induced contributions. The Permian Basin’s extensive subsurface infrastructure warrants integration of seismic catalogs with production data to refine hazard assessments.

References

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources – Permian Basin Tectonic Overview
U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program – Regional Seismicity Catalog
SeismoSight Internal Swarm Classification Database