induced seismicity

Research and development firm Battelle is working on a new induced-seismicity study that aims to help wastewater disposal well operators in Ohio stay on the good side of state regulators.

Industry regulators in Oklahoma have rolled out broad new restrictions on more than 600 disposal wells as part of the largest action of its kind taken in response to earthquakes.

A surge in earthquakes tightly clustered in southern Kansas that followed the large increase in produced water injections prompted the state to cut the daily limits on disposal wells in that area to see if that will help solve the problem.

In September, a technical workshop was held on the topic of injection-induced seismicity in Banff, Canada. It brought together industry and technical experts to discuss the increasingly important topic of induced seismicity associated with various injections during oil and gas activities.

A sharp rise in seismic events in some areas of the United States where oil and gas production is booming is leading regulators and the industry to examine whether the two are related.

A study was required to determine the origin of the tremor, evaluate if it could be followed by other tremors in the future, and estimate its magnitude.