International Commission on Hydrocarbon Exploration and Seismicity

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Posted on 26 June 2013
damage amounting to over $US16 Billion or 1% of Italian GDP

Professor Peter Styles of the School of Physical and Geographical Science and EPSAM has been appointed President of the International Commission on Hydrocarbon Exploration and Seismicity in the Emilia region by the Italian Government and chaired the inaugural meeting on June 19th in Rome.

On May 2012, a severe seismic sequence occurred in the central part of the Po Plain (Northern Italy). It was characterized by two main shocks displaying local magnitudes 5.9 (on May 20th) and 5.8 (on May 29th) and a large number of aftershocks,. This earthquake swarm caused extensive damage to large structures (castles and churches) and non-critical pre-cast concrete industry buildings with damage amounting to over $US16 Billion or 1% of Italian GDP. The region is a prime centre in Europe for medical technology and the food industry (as an example more than 200 Million Euros of Parmesan cheese was destroyed!). The commission is tasked with investigating whether there is any relationship between the onset of the seismic activity and the hydrocarbon activities which occur in the region and so tool evidence from Government organisations and Petroleum and Gas Companies. The Commission then visited the Emilia area where significant damage and reconstruction was still evident more than a year after the earthquakes.

Hydrocarbon well

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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