Two days after a 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Pawnee, state and federal officials targeted more wastewater disposal wells, ordering some to be shutdown and others to see reduced volumes.
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency took the action in northeastern Oklahoma and the affected wells are in Creek, Pawnee, Payne and Osage counties. One well is in Creek County while 15 are in Pawnee and four in Payne, per the action taken by the OCC.
The OCC’s Oil and Gas Division said it developed the action plan in conjunction with the Oklahoma Geological Survey and the EPA. The announcement stated that the plan covers 38 Arbuckle disposal wells under the State’s jurisdiction and 32 Arbuckle wells under sole EPA jurisdiction. Some of the wells had already been shut down after the Sept. 3 earthquake that measured 5.8 magnitude.
The plan includes three areas of action at 6, 10 and 15 miles from the location of this week’s earthquake, which the Oklahoma Geological Survey said actually measured 4.3 magnitude. All Arbuckle disposal wells in the 6 mile area have to cease operations. All Arbuckle wells in the 10 mile zone have to reduce volume by 25 percent of their last 30-day average. All of the Arbuckle wells in the 15 mile area are limited in volume to their last 30k-day average.
The Commission said 15 of the Arbuckle wells in the latest directive have already been closed following the Sept. 3 directive. In addition, four new Arbuckle disposal wells will be shut down and 10 others will be reduced 25 percent in volume.
Since the EPA has jurisdiction over all oil and gas activity in Osage County, it has directed operators of 2 Arbuckle disposal wells to limit volume to their last 30-day average. Six other Arbuckle wells will be reduced 25 percent of their 30-day average.