Oklahoma drilling regulator calls spike in quakes a 'game changer'

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / Reuters

(Reuters) - A spike in earthquakes across Oklahoma is forcing the state's energy regulator to urgently consider tougher restrictions on drilling activity, a spokesman said on Wednesday, calling it a "game changer."

From June 17 to 24, there have been 35 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater in the state, according to the Oklahoma Geological Survey. Particularly worrying for regulators, some of the recent quakes occurred in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, where there are no high-volume wastewater injection wells.

The spike in quakes comes roughly two months after new rules governing the disposal of briny wastewater from drilling took full effect. Drillers were directed by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), which regulates the oil and gas industry, to stop disposing wastewater below the state's deepest rock formation, believed to be one of the main causes of the quakes, and to reduce the depth of wells that already go that deep.

"We have to approach it anew," said Matt Skinner, a spokesman for the OCC. "There's been a huge increase. That's a game-changer," he said, referring to the recent jump in tremors.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-oklahoma-drilling-regulator-calls-spike-quakes-game-222221952--finance.html

[HFRN]

1. if the TPP banned the term 'Game Changer'

i would be for it

[Renew Deal]

2. Is OKC built to handle a 6+ magnitude earthquake?

[jwirr]

3. What do you mean 6+ magnitude? Isn't Oklahoma supposed to be the site of one of those huge

Last edited Wed Jun 24, 2015, 11:33 PM - Edit history (1)

volcanoes?

[pugetres]

4. The biggest quake that OK

has experienced in modern history is a 5.6 a few years back. The eastern portion of OK definately felt the shaking from the New Madrid quakes around 200 years ago. The area that is now OKC maybe have felt light shaking. The New Madrid fault zone is around 450 miles or so to the east of OKC.

[jwirr]

5. No I wasn't talking about the New Madrid fault. I was talking about the big one - the volcano.

I suspect I was mixing them up in my post but I was being sarcastic anyhow. I doubt that fracking could set off a volcano.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. You might be thinking of the Yellowstone Caldera

That's a humongous volcano in Wyoming.

[jwirr]

9. Yes.

[silvershadow]

6. I'm pretty sure now that he uttered those words, the only changing that will be happening

is the PTB will change him out of a job.

[yesphan]

7. This ^

is the most likely scenario.

[silvershadow]

10. yep. nt