The State’s former seismologist Dr. Austin Holland has testified in a deposition in an earthquake lawsuit in Oklahoma that he left his job two years after being reprimanded for his study that linked the earthquakes in Oklahoma to wastewater disposal operations of the oil and gas industry.
Writing in his law firm’s blog, attorney Scott Poynter, who successfully reached a recent settlement of a lawsuit against two firms over the 5.7 magnitude earthquake in Prague took note of Dr. Holland’s testimony which was given in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“Holland’s testimony was that he was called into his boss’s office and “reprimanded” for his work which University of Oklahoma Dean Larry Griollot termed as “unacceptable.” Poynter went on to state that Dr. Holland testified his OGS colleague Amberlee Darold was also reprimanded for public statements she made to the media that linked Oklahoma’s earthquakes to wastewater disposal.
“According to Holland, Darold’s bosses at OGS ordered her to never speak to the press again,” wrote Poynter. Arnold also testified that he took part in a March 2013 meeting with his director at OGS and New Dominion VP of Exploration Jean Antonides. The meeting took place after a study by OU scientist Katie Keranen who linked the Prague earthquakes to wastewater disposal wells operated by New Dominion and Spess Oil.
“Holland in sworn testimony, said New Dominion said it had a plan in place to sue Keranen and had drafted a complaint and further, wanted to make her life “uncomfortable” wrote Poynter.
As a result of the meeting, Holland explained OGS Director Randy Keller issued a statement saying the Prague earthquake “was the result of natural causes.” Holland called the statement “misleading.”
Both Keller and Larry Giollot have retired.