On Nov. 19 Oklahoma regulators ordered two oil and gas companies to shut down four disposal wells near the town of Crescent. The directive came after a 4.0-magnitude quake was recorded earlier that day, according to StateImpact Oklahoma.The oil and gas industry’s practice of pumping waste fluid into disposal wells is likely responsible for the exponential surge in earthquakes. The link has been made in numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers.
At first, Oklahoma officials were reluctant to acknowledge the link. But this year that changed, and officials acknowledged the oil industry’s complicity. The state’s oil and gas regulator is now ordering more shutdowns and volume limits at disposal wells.
The hope is the new regulations will lessen the frequency and severity of the earthquakes.
