A statement by Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton that oil and gas wastewater injection wells are possibly causing earthquakes in Texas is getting some attention in the industry.
“I take the issue of induced seismicity very seriously,” said Sitton in announcing his collaboration with the Bureau of Economic Geology Center for Integrated Seismicity Research. “The science is clear that it is physically possible for injection wells that dispose of fluids deep underground to cause earthquakes in certain rare cases, given the right set of conditions.”
He explained the injection wells are often confused with hydraulic fracturing.
“I’ve been working diligently on this issue since I joined the Commission in 2014, and after thorough study and visiting with researchers and operators across Texas, I have determined that we need to begin to look more closely at oil and gas injection activities in specific areas,” said Sitton, pointing to Johnson County. “I have seen credible data and science from operators that lead me to believe that areas has elevated risks of seismicity related to disposal activities and therefore warrants additional investigation.”
While some industry data and academic reports might suggest seismicity in the entire Dallas and Fort Worth area is caused by oil and gas, Sitton has his doubts.
“I don’t believe that the science we have to date can support that conclusion,” he said.
Sitton is the first engineer to serve on the Railroad Commission in 50 years and is considered a leading energy expert for his founding of PinnacleART, an engineering and technology company focused on reliability and integrity programs for the oil, gas, petrochemical, mining, pharmaceutical and wastewater industries.