Is fracking considered a seismic activity?
Presuming that you're discussing someone coming onto land to conduct seismic activity/surveys, that would NOT be the same as fracking. Seismic surveys utilize methods such as thumping the ground to measure seismology which gives an oil company data about the potential for oil and/or gas recovery. Hydraulic fracturing is a well completion method to help oil recovery.
Hope this helps.
Dear Mikeee,
This is a very interesting question from a physics standpoint, only because there are so many sub disciplines to the term "seismic activity."
If, during the fracing operation, seismic receivers (geophones) could detect a seismic wave that was generated by the fracing operation, then you could conclude that the operation in and of itself was seismic activity that created a seismic event. I know of nobody who has done any geoforensics, but I bet it has been done.
For example, shooting heavy artillery during WWI created a seismic wave (sound ranging discovered and utilized by the Germans) which eventually ushered in seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration, however I cannot think of a geophysicist who would necessarily agree that shooting heavy artillery was a seismic event -- but it is.
Best
Buddy Cotten