In light of recent earthquakes, officials near the oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, are considering a worst-case scenario plan. According to the Journal Record, 11 magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes have been recorded near the Cushing oil hub since April. If one tank were damaged in a quake, oil companies could easily respond. But if all of the storage tanks were damaged by large earthquakes, first responders would be overwhelmed.
One possible solution is for oil companies to work together. As it stands now, each company has its own earthquake response procedure and responds to seismic events individually. Companies currently perform visual inspections after earthquakes, using staff to walk the length of pipelines. Companies also send pilots to fly over the pipelines. Inspectors have found that lower magnitude earthquakes do not damage infrastructure.
