OCC Calls for Wastewater Injection Reduction of Wells Near Edmond

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has asked for reduced operations of wastewater injection wells following last week’s surge of earthquakes around Edmond.

The directive applies to wells operating within a 10-mile radius of the earthquakes that caused damaged last week. The reduction will be by 95%.

Three of the largest wells, the Dahl, Wishon and McCoon, according to OCC spokesman Jim Palmer will also be plugged. Other wells that had been injecting into the Arbuckle will now be dumping wastewater into the Wilcox formation.

They will also go from injecting nearly 3,000 barrels a day to 200 barrels daily. The entire reduction process is estimated to take two weeks.

The state directive came after at least seven earthquakes struck the Edmond area, including an Aug. 2 quake measuring 4.2 magnitude. It was strong enough to have knocked out power briefly to thousands of residents.

The Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Division immediately investigated the operations of at least 8 Arbuckle disposal wells. Most happened in a square mile area in northeast Edmond between Covell and Danforth Roads and east of Interstate 35.