Texas has adopted rules aimed at reducing the possibility of earthquakes related to injection wells. The Texas Railroad Commission adopted rules on October 28, 2014, which give the Commission the power to shut down wells determined to be causing seismic activity. The rules also require drillers to submitted detailed drilling logs. Earlier this year, the Texas Railroad Commission hired a seismologist to conduct studies after a series of earthquakes occurred in Parker and Tarrant Counties in north Texas.
As previously reported in this blog, in May 2014, scientists attending the Seismological Society of America expressed the opinion that storage of large volumes of water, sand, and chemicals underground during the hydraulic fracturing or fracking process was changing the stress on existing faults, which could lead to more frequent and larger earthquakes. Opponents of fracking argue that because the fracking process generates large quantities of wastewater, injection wells are getting packed full. Scientists have suggested that one option to avoid earthquakes is to require companies to reduce the amount of fluid they inject and continue seismic monitoring.
The new rules adopted by the Texas Railroad Commission become effective on November 17, 2014. Following their implementation, applicants who seek to drill injection wells must search the U.S. Geological Survey seismic database for a history of earthquakes within 100 miles of a proposed well.
For more information, contact Toni Ellington at (504) 599-8500.
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