Federal and state regulators on Monday expanded and modified emergency orders limiting oil and gas activity at wells near a fault line that produced Oklahoma’s strongest earthquake on record.
Regulators are targeting 67 disposal wells in two counties near the damaging 5.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked the state over the Labor Day weekend.
No. They first shut down 37 in areas under OCC jurisdiction. Now only 27 will be shut down/stay shut down in OCC areas.
— joe wertz (@joewertz) September 12, 2016
In Pawnee County, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission is ordering the energy industry to shut down 32 wells. In nearby Osage County, which is under federal jurisdiction, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is ordering the shutdown of 5 wells.
Jeremy Boak with the Oklahoma Geological Survey says shaking could continue along the previously unknown fault line.
“We’re worried about aftershocks,” Boak said. “A really big one is less likely, the odds are relatively small for it, but you can’t rule it out.”
Regulators expanding actions on disposal wells after 5.8M #okquake. 67 total: 32 shutdowns. 27 in OK areas, 5 in EPA pic.twitter.com/lTdPoRpFNS
— snow wertz (@joewertz) September 12, 2016
Both agencies are ordering companies to reduce the amount of fluid pumped into dozens of wells in both counties.
Multiple wells shut down immediately after the Labor Day weekend quake are being allowed to resume operations with volume limits.
A map and a full list of the wells affected by Monday's action can be found below:
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