On October 29, 2015,
the Kansas Corporation Commission ordered
an extension of the monitoring period for disposal wells in Harper and Sumner
counties that inject more than 5,000 barrels of wastewater per day into the
Arbuckle formation.
In March 2015, the
Commission issued an order
to reduce the volume of wastewater injections in certain areas of Harper and
Sumner counties deemed seismically-sensitive. Those areas experienced 127
recorded earthquakes in 2014 while only 4 earthquakes were recorded in 2013.
According to the Commission, said earthquakes are associated with the increase of
injection wells and wastewater injections in both counties. As part of this order,
the Commission implemented a well monitoring period to analyze seismic data and
provide for recommendations for further actions assessing risks of induced
seismicity.
Before expiration of
the order, the Commission staff filed a Motion to Extend Monitoring Period on
September 14, 2015, claiming that “the initial results of the Commission’s
Order were encouraging but inconclusive.” The Commission concluded that the
monitoring period will be extended until March 13, 2016.
Written by Chloe Marie - Research Fellow
11/02/2015
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