By TONI ELLINGTON
The Oklahoma Geological Survey (“OGS”) released a statement on April 21, 2015, that it was “very likely” that most of the recent earthquakes in the state were triggered by subsurface injection of wastewater from oil and gas drilling operations. The statement was issued by State Geologist Richard D. Andrews and State Seismologist Austin Holland.
According to the OGS, the hundreds of earthquakes which have occurred recently in central and north-central Oklahoma are not very likely to represent a naturally occurring process. The pace of oil and gas drilling has accelerated in these areas of the state.
Earthquake activity in Oklahoma in 2013 was 70 times greater than earthquake activity in 2008.
Following the release of the OGS report, State Representative Cory Williams called for a moratorium on oil and gas wastewater disposal in 16 counties in Oklahoma. Governor Mary Fallin has launched a new website to provide information on how state agencies are responding to help homeowners. The website address is www.earthquakes.ok.gov. The site includes an interactive map identifying earthquake activity and identifying the sites of more than 3,000 active wastewater injection wells in the state.
For more information, contact Toni Ellington at (504) 599-8500.
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