2 injection wells shut down, 1 curbing activity after quakes
Posted:
July 28, 2015
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (AP) -
The
Oklahoma Corporation Commission says two oil and gas wastewater
injection wells are shutting down and one is reducing operations in the
Crescent area following several earthquakes.
The commission said Tuesday that Stephens
Production and Devon Energy are each voluntarily closing one well. Also,
Stephens is reducing operations at another well by 50 percent.
Earthquakes in the area recorded by the U.S.
Geological Survey on Monday and Tuesday include two of magnitude 4.5 and
one of magnitude 4.1.
The commission recently announced plans to place
more than 200 disposal wells under scrutiny as it investigates whether
they are triggering earthquakes in the state.
An Oklahoma Geological
Survey report in April says it's "very likely" most of the state's
recent earthquakes were triggered by the injection of wastewater from
the wells.
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UPDATE 1-Operators shut two injection wells after Oklahoma quakes
Yeganeh Torbati and Heide Brandes
Reuters
WASHINGTON/OKLAHOMA CITY, July 28 (Reuters) -
Two
energy companies are shutting injection wells after three strong
earthquakes struck near an Oklahoma town, in response to concerns about
the practice of injecting wastewater from oil and gas operations deep
underground, state regulators said on Tuesday.
Three quakes above magnitude 4.0 struck on Monday
near the town of Crescent, Oklahoma, about 40 miles (60 km) north of
Oklahoma City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Oklahoma has experienced a sharp increase in quakes
since 2009, which scientists say is linked to the underground injection
by energy companies of briny wastewater, a byproduct of booming oil and
gas production in the state.
The state now sees about two 3.0-magnitude
quakes per day, compared with two per year prior to 2009.
But Monday's quakes raised special concern because
of their intensity.
Oklahoma experienced just 20 quakes between
magnitude 4.0 and 4.8 between 2009 and mid-2014, according to the USGS.
Residents as far as Tulsa, about 110 miles (180 km) from Crescent,
reported feeling Monday's tremors.
Earthquakes with magnitudes of 4.0 to 4.9 cause rattling noises and shaking of indoor objects, with little to no damage.
The Chambers and Hopfer wells, nearest to Monday's
quakes, are stopping operations, according to the Oklahoma Corporation
Commission, which regulates oil and gas activity in the state. Chambers
is operated by Stephens Production, and Hopfer is operated by Devon
Energy Corp. Stephens' Cat in the Hat well is cutting its injection
volumes in half, according to the Commission.
The actions were voluntary, not required, according
to the statement. Devon, based in Oklahoma City, and Stephens, based in
Fort Smith, Arkansas, did not respond immediately to requests for
comment.
Residents and some legislators who live in the
quake-prone zones say regulators and state officials have been far too
slow to respond to the tremors for fear of shackling an industry that
contributes to state coffers and includes some of the biggest and most
influential companies in the state, including Devon.
Officials say they want to make sure they are taking
proper regulatory steps backed up by the known science and giving
priority to residents' safety above all.
This month, the Commission expanded restrictions on
drilling activities to stem the quakes but fell short of taking the more
drastic, expected move of placing a cap on the volume of water injected
into wells.