The Oklahoma Corporation Commission announced over the weekend it finalized a plan to reduce more wastewater injection well operations and started notifiying disposal well operators in an effort to bring about a reduction of earthquakes in the region. Complete details are to be released Tuesday, Feb. 16.
A summary of the plan shows it will involve a large-scale regional reduction for a nearly 5,000 square mile area in western Oklahoma.
“More than 200 Arbuckle disposal wells will be affected,” said the announcement which also indicated that researchers agree the wells injecting into the Arbuckle formation pose the highest potential risk for causing damaging earthquakes in the state.
The announcement of the conclusion of the plan came as a 5.1 magnitude quake rattled northern Oklahoma on Saturday with an epicenter close to the city of Fairview. It was considered to be the third largest quake to strike the region in recent years.
The Corporation Commission took three actions on injection wells in January beginning with the reduction of volumes at five dispoal wells around edmond. On Jan. 13, the Commission had 27 disposal wells reduce operations near Fairview. The total reduction involvd 54,859 barrels a day or 18 percent.
The last action by the commission was Jan. 20 in the Medford, Byron and Cherokee areas. It targeted 55 wells operated by SandRidge Energy. The company agreed to stop operations at 8 wells. Nine others will be used by researchers and 36 wells were under orders to reduce volume. The reduction in volume totaled 191,327 barrels a day or 40 percent.
The Commission took at least 14 actions in 2015 and this year in a move to target the earthquake activity. The actions resulted in at least 21 wells shut down totally and 518 other wells with reduced operations.
Listen to Jerry Bohnen’s interview of Commission spokesman Matt Skinner.