Drop in Oklahoma saltwater disposal volumes reported

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – Recently reports show that disposal well operators placed about 23 percent less saltwater from oil and natural gas production into Oklahoma’s deepest geological formation within the earthquake zone in 2016 compared to the previous year.
The Tulsa World reports that the year-end numbers about the Arbuckle formation come from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Commission spokesman Matt Skinner says the 2016 volume numbers are mostly complete, though some companies haven’t reported their latest data.
According to Oklahoma Geological Survey data, there were 623 quakes of 3.0 or greater in 2016. A 31 percent reduction from 2015.
State regulators are developing a new directive with more restrictive wastewater restrictions following a 5.0 magnitude earthquake near Cushing in early November.

(Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com)