During the past 18 months, this editor has worked to become more knowledgeable about induced seismicity as it relates to earthquake swarms. A swarm involves numerous earthquakes happening in a local area in a relatively short period although a swarm's duration can vary from days to weeks.
Often, no single earthquake in the swarm is obviously the main shock so there is little or no talk of aftershocks. But swarms associated with oil and gas disposal wells definitely cause aftershocks when it comes to repercussions within the general public living in affected areas.
Oklahoma residents concerned with an escalating number of earthquakes called for more regulations on the oil and gas industry during a recent public forum at the Oklahoma Capitol where the crowd overflowed from a committee room out into the rotunda.
Lawmakers moved the Jan. 15 forum into the Oklahoma House of Representatives chamber to accommodate some 200 people. On Jan. 18, the US Geological Survey reported an earthquake of 3.7 magnitude about 6 miles east of Fairview.
Oklahoma already has experienced a spate of 2016 earthquakes, including a magnitude-4.2 earthquake on New Year's Day in Edmond, north of Oklahoma City.
OGCD issues directives
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's Oil & Gas Conservation Division (OGCD) has issued an ongoing series of directives asking operators of disposal wells to shut down or reduce volumes of wastewater from oil and gas operations being injected into the Arbuckle formation.
"We are working with researchers on the entire area of the state involved in the latest seismic activity to plot out where we should go from here," Tim Baker, OGCD director, said in a statement issued along with one of the recent directives.
The directives are voluntary. But state Rep. Richard Morrissette (D-Oklahoma City) advocates mandatory reductions in injection volumes in 10 Oklahoma counties. Morrissette organized the Jan. 15 public forum.
USGS statistics show 98% of the earthquakes in Oklahoma since 2009 happened in Payne, Pawnee, Lincoln, Logan, Garfield, Noble, Grant, Alfalfa, Major, and Oklahoma counties.
Despite growing concerns from the public, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin's spokesman Michael McNutt said Jan. 15 that Fallin saw no need to directly intervene at this time. Previously, she formed a coordinating council to address the issue of induced seismicity, but she has deferred mostly to OGCD.
In addition, the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment also is working on the induced seismicity issue.
Morrissette also said he intends to promote legislation to establish an earthquake-damage reparation fund that would help residents. The proposed reparation fund would be based on a fluid-disposal fee.
Induced seismicity debated
On Nov. 4, 2015, the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) had its own induced seismicity workshop in Houston.
Academic researchers joined with energy representatives to discuss the findings of various studies, and sometimes to debate, the role that shale drilling, completions, and water-disposal activity might play regarding seismic activity.
"It was clear from the discussions during the workshop that there continues to be uncertainty and controversy as to the degree oil and gas activity influences seismic activity," noted Kent Perry, RPSEA vice-president, onshore programs.
Oklahoma is not the only state facing induced seismicity issues. Last year, 13 states partnered through a StatesFirst initiative to issue a policy-guiding document to help producing states develop strategies to manage induced seismicity. The Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission and the Ground Water Protection Council helped develop the primer.
Research continues to determine the involvement of the oil and gas industry, especially activities associated with unconventional plays.
Paula Dittrick | Senior Staff Writer
Paula Dittrick has covered oil and gas from Houston for more than 20 years. Starting in May 2007, she developed a health, safety, and environment beat for Oil & Gas Journal. Dittrick is familiar with the industry’s financial aspects. She also monitors issues associated with carbon sequestration and renewable energy.
Dittrick joined OGJ in February 2001. Previously, she worked for Dow Jones and United Press International. She began writing about oil and gas as UPI’s West Texas bureau chief during the 1980s. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska in 1974.