A recent primer released by the state-level StatesFirst initiative provides guidance on mitigating seismic risks associated with waste water disposal wells.
Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
October 9, 2015
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On September 28, the StatesFirst Induced Seismicity Working Group (ISWG) released a primer entitled “Potential Injection-Induced Seismicity Associated with Oil & Gas Development: A Primer on Technical and Regulatory Considerations Informing Risk Management and Mitigation.” The report provides guidance in mitigating seismic risks associated with waste water disposal wells, not hydraulic fracturing.
The primer is intended to be informational provides a valuable overview of the current state of research and technical understanding of induced seismicity related to Class II disposal wells. The report was peer reviewed and was developed by ISWG members (state agencies) with input from subject matter experts from academia, industry, federal agencies, and environmental organizations. Scientists at National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) contributed to writing sections of the report and scientists at NETL and the Office of Fossil Energy reviewed the report before its release.
StatesFirst is an initiative of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and the Ground Water Protection Council.