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Eugene

(61,595 posts)
Fri Jan 1, 2016, 10:06 PM Jan 2016

Another earthquake hits Oklahoma as concern rises over wastewater injection

Source: Associated Press

Another earthquake hits Oklahoma as concern rises over wastewater injection

Associated Press in Oklahoma City
Friday 1 January 2016 19.11 GMT

A 4.2 magnitude earthquake struck north Oklahoma City early on New Year’s Day, the latest in a series of temblors in the area in recent days that has prompted state regulators to call for more restrictions on oil and gas operators.

No injuries and only minor damage were reported with the quake, which struck at 5.39am on Friday near Edmond, about 16 miles north-east of Oklahoma City, according to the US Geological Survey.

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Many of the earthquakes are occurring in swarms in areas where injection wells pump salty wastewater – a byproduct of oil and gas production – deep into the earth. As a result, state regulators have begun reducing the volume or shutting down disposal wells in response.

However, the Edmond area has not previously been associated with the activity.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission issued a statement on Friday saying its Oil and Gas Division staff were taking action in response to the earthquakes in Edmond and that details should be available on Monday.

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/01/oklahoma-earthquakes-oil-gas-industry-wastewater-injection

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Another earthquake hits Oklahoma as concern rises over wastewater injection (Original Post) Eugene Jan 2016 OP
Wait a minute, did I read that correctly?... NeoGreen Jan 2016 #1

NeoGreen

(4,030 posts)
1. Wait a minute, did I read that correctly?...
Sat Jan 2, 2016, 10:45 AM
Jan 2016

...


Edmond area has not previously been associated with the activity.


Which activity, the injections or earthquakes?

Additional paragraph...


The Oklahoma Corporation Commission issued a statement on Friday saying its Oil and Gas Division staff were taking action in response to the earthquakes in Edmond and that details should be available on Monday.

“The issue is extremely complex, as the initial review of the data for the area in question has not identified any oil and gas wastewater disposal wells that are both high volume and in the state’s deepest formation, a combination that researchers have identified as being at the highest risk for inducing earthquakes,” the commission release stated.

Emphasis added.


So, what I read is that they are having earthquakes in an area where there are no known injection wells at the depths and volumes normally associated with the anthropogenic earthquakes.

That's great...just really, really peachy.

Almost makes one hope that there is an unscrupulous driller injecting in an undocumented well.

Otherwise.......
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