My 2 Cents: Oklahoma Earthquakes

I think a USGS seismologist we interviewed Monday got some people's attention.

Talking about the recent earthquakes in the Edmond area he said he believes the Arbuckle formation under Oklahoma is already saturated from injection wells and any additional water or weight pressing down on the area, like rising lake levels could stress the fault line and trigger a more substantial seismic event.

He said another 5.6 like we had in Prague, would do a lot more damage in the heavily populated metro area.

His parting advice; study up on earthquake precautions and consider strapping down computer monitors, televisions, and book shelves.

Today, I called the spokesman for the Corporation Commission to get a read on how seriously they're taking all of this. He lives in Guthrie and said his home has been shaking for two years and they're serious about reining it in.

He said the energy companies have been cooperating with their requests to reduce injections of oilfield waste water into the earth.

SandRidge has ignored such a request up in northern Oklahoma, but the commission is taking them before a commission court and could rewrite their operating permits.  

I hung up from that conversation at least feeling like someone had their eye on the ball, and I was beginning to wonder.

We are certainly keeping an eye on it.

I'm Kelly Ogle and that's My 2 Cents.