Railroad Commission will have authority to shut down earthquake-causing disposal wells

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Photo courtesy of M3 Construction LLC

Disposal wells will face increased scrutiny under new rules from the Texas Railroad Commission.

Nicholas Sakelaris

Staff Writer- Dallas Business Journal

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The year after an earthquake outbreak rocked Azle and surrounding communities northwest of Fort Worth, the Texas Railroad Commission has unanimously adopted new rules to crack down on disposal wells that are inducing seismic events.

The rules give the agency greater authority and more data than they had when a busload of angry residents crowded a commission meeting earlier this year demanding something be done.

"These comprehensive rule amendments will allow us to further examine seismic activity in Texas and gain an understanding of how human activity may impact seismic activity while continuing to allow for the important development of our energy resources in Texas," Commission member David Porter said in a statement.

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More than 30 minor earthquakes were reported in the region, some of which caused foundations and walls to crack. They also caused stress for the mostly rural communities, which are in the heart of the Barnett Shale natural gas play.

Porter got an earful from affected residents when he hosted a town hall meeting at Azle High School in January.

The new rules will be enforced starting Nov. 17.

Here's a closer look at what the new rules require:

• Applicants must provide historic earthquake data from the U.S. Geological Survey for a 100-mile radius around a new proposed disposal well.
• Give commission staff authority to modify, suspend or terminate a disposal well permit if scientific data indicates a disposal well is likely to be contributing to seismic activity. Staff could even modify the volume and pressure for a particular well.
• Operators would be required to disclose volumes and pressures on a more frequent basis if staff determines a need for it.
• Operators must demonstrate that disposal fluids will remain confined if they are in an area where there's a risk of migration.

Nicholas covers the energy, manufacturing, aviation and transportation beats for the Dallas Business Journal. Subscribe the Energy Inc. newsletter