October 28, 2014 5:31 PM

In Texas Energy Report: RRC addresses quakes by adopting disposal well changes

‘I think this is still a work in progress,’ says Porter

The Texas Railroad Commission unanimously adopted changes to disposal well rules Tuesday morning designed to prevent induced earthquakes when injecting saltwater and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) wastewater underground.

The changes come nearly a year after more than 25 small earthquakes rattled residents in the North Texas towns of Reno and Azle, starting in November 2013. The quakes continued for a few months before townspeople, who complained of sleep interruption and home foundation damages, stopped feeling the ground shake.

Commissioner David Porter, who has pushed the hardest at the commission for tougher disposal well rules, praised the new changes but predicted more to come as science surrounding oil and gas related earthquakes improves.

“I think it was a great example of moving with all deliberate haste. I think we did it as fast as we could do it and still do it correctly. It was roughly a year ago, when the activity in Azle started coming to my attention,” he said noting an “enjoyable evening” at an Azle townhall meeting last January where he encountered hostile residents.

The rest of this story can be found in Texas Energy Report.

By Polly Ross Hughes