Tuesday, September 29, 2015 A more definitive word on earthquakes: They are linked to disposal wells A 1 1/2-year study verifies the link many suspected by WKSU's TIM RUDELL
Reporter Tim Rudell
Oklahoma Secretary of Energy & Environment
Courtesy of State Impact, npr.org
Disposal wells can cause earthquakes. That’s the word from this week’s gathering of state regulators and scientists in Oklahoma. WKSU’s Tim Rudell reports.
LISTEN: The links for wells and quakesOther options: MP3 Download(0:51)
It follows a more than year-long study and provides scientific data and best-practice suggestions for dealing with what amounts to man-made quakes. And, after the release, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment Michael Teague made the most definitive statement yet about controversial disposal wells.
"We’ve had a huge increase here in the number of earthquakes above 3.0. And, we do think that they are tied to disposal wells. That may not be the case in all states, but certainly in Oklahoma, it is the cause.”
The primer stresses that the facts and practical actions it lists must be applied case-by-case because geology differs greatly around the country.
Ohio, with nearly 200 injection wells, organized the cooperative study idea and got kudos’s from Michael Teague, whose state has 4,200 such wells.
“It’s really the result of a year and a half worth of work, and great leadership by Rick Simmers of Ohio, pulling this thing together. It was ...I think started with six states; and ended up with 13 states, and universities from across the country, and industry folks from across the country."
Cleveland chips away at its lead-paint problem
and provides scientific data and best-practice suggestions for dealing with what amounts to man-made quakes. And, after the release, Oklahoma’s Secretary of Energy and Environment Michael Teague made the most definitive statement yet about controversial disposal wells.
That may not be the case in all states, but certainly in Oklahoma, it is the cause.”
