$2.6M Settlement Reached in Oklahoma Earthquake Lawsuit
A $2.6 million class-action settlement has been reached in a lawsuit concerning earthquakes in Oklahoma. The suit alleged that certain companies operated wastewater disposal wells that contributed to seismic activity, including a 5.1 magnitude quake. Residents who suffered property damage between 2019 and now may be eligible for a payment.
The recent settlement is part of a larger story of seismic activity in Oklahoma linked to oil and gas operations. For years, the state has grappled with a dramatic increase in earthquakes, which scientists have connected to the underground disposal of wastewater, a byproduct of oil and gas extraction. This process can increase pressure on natural fault lines, causing them to slip and trigger earthquakes. Oklahoma's earthquake rate surged dramatically after 2008. The state, not traditionally known for seismic activity, went from averaging one or two magnitude 3 or greater earthquakes per year to hundreds, at times surpassing California as the most seismically active in the contiguous U.S. This isn't the first time legal action has been taken over induced seismicity in the state. One of the defendants in the current settlement, New Dominion, was also a defendant in lawsuits following a 5.6-magnitude earthquake near Prague in 2011, which destroyed 14 homes. Another major event was a 5.8-magnitude quake that struck Pawnee in 2016, leading to a class-action lawsuit against 27 energy companies. In response to the rising number of earthquakes, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), which regulates the state's oil and gas industry, has taken steps to mitigate the issue. These measures have included issuing directives to shut down some disposal wells and reduce the volume of wastewater injected into the ground, particularly in the deep Arbuckle formation.
