Oklahoma Corporation Commission orders wastewater disposal reduction following Lincoln Co. earthquakes

CARNEY, Okla. (KFOR) - Following a 4.0 magnitude and a few smaller magnitude earthquakes in Lincoln County, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) has reduced the amount of oil and gas wastewater allowed to be disposed within a 10 mile radius of the earthquake site.

OCC's Oil and Gas Conservation Division (OGCD) says 23 disposal wells will be impacted by this directive.

"Reducing the volume of oil and gas wastewater into the Arbuckle formation has been credited by the scientific community with being a key element of the more than 90 percent reduction in 3.0 magnitude earthquakes in Oklahoma since 2015," said OCC OGCD.

The wells operating within 6 miles of the 4.0 earthquake location are required to shut down indefinitely.

Arbuckle disposal wells operating with the 6 to 10 mile area from the earthquake will have their injected volumes limited:

• Disposal wells which have an average injection of 500 barrels a day or less in the latest 30 day period must not exceed that average.
• Disposal wells with average volumes over 500 barrels a day must reduce volume by 50 percent.

OCC OGCD says the volume reductions and shut-ins will be phased-in over a four week period in order to avoid a sudden change of pressure which theoretically could increase the risk of a seismic event.