Oklahoma Earthquake Lawsuit Settled for $2.6M

This recent settlement is part of a larger story of seismic activity in Oklahoma linked to oil and gas operations. For years, scientists have pointed to the disposal of massive amounts of wastewater from drilling into underground wells as the likely cause of a dramatic surge in earthquakes. Oklahoma experienced a significant increase in seismic events, from a handful of magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes per year before 2009 to more than 900 in 2015. The lawsuit specifically names Freedom Energy, Montclair, New Dominion, and H&P as defendants, alleging their wastewater disposal wells contributed to a 5.1 magnitude earthquake near Prague, Oklahoma, on February 2, 2024. This is not the first time legal action has been taken against energy companies for induced seismicity in the state. Other class-action lawsuits have resulted in settlements, including an $850,000 agreement with Eagle Road Oil LLC following earthquakes in 2016. The scientific community has established a strong correlation between the injection of "produced water" – a briny byproduct of oil and gas extraction – and the activation of dormant faults. Studies from institutions like Stanford University and the U.S. Geological Survey have been pivotal in understanding this connection, which the Oklahoma Geological Survey eventually acknowledged as "very likely." In response to the earthquake swarm, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), the state's oil and gas regulator, has taken steps to mitigate the issue. The OCC has issued directives to shut down some disposal wells and reduce the volume of wastewater injected in others, particularly in seismically active areas. These regulatory actions have coincided with a decrease in the number of earthquakes from their peak in 2015.