Oil & Gas Operators Shut Down Wells Near Crescent After Earthquakes

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission announced Tuesday morning that the three oil and gas wastewater disposal wells closest to the earthquake activity in the Crescent area are changing their operations after Monday's earthquakes.

Several quakes were centered near Crescent in central Oklahoma, and even though it's more than 100 miles away, many in Green Country felt it, and some even have damage. The biggest registered 4.5 and happened at 1:12 Monday afternoon.

After being contacted by the Commission's Oil & Gas Division, operators of two of the wells are shutting down operations while the third well - farthest from the activity - will reduce its injected volume by 50 percent, according to Tim Baker of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.

Baker said the actions were taken voluntarily by the wastewater disposal well operators. 

7/27/2015 Related Story: Central Oklahoma Quakes Cause Green Country Damage

The earthquakes were all reportedly about three to four miles north, northeast of Crescent, a Logan County town about 36 miles north of Oklahoma City.

The first quake, a 4.0 magnitude, was recorded at approximately 12:49 p.m., at a depth of three miles.

A little more than 20 minutes later, a second temblor was recorded. That quake registered as a 4.5 magnitude, at a depth of just under two miles. 
The third large earthquake happened at 7:18 p.m. and was a 4.1 magnitude. It was about three miles deep. It was originally reported as a 4.5-magnitude earthquake but was later downgraded.

A much smaller earthquake was reported about 6:25 p.m. It was a 3.2-magnitude and less than two miles deep.

Three more earthquakes have been recorded in Oklahoma by the U.S. Geological Survey Tuesday.

The largest of the latest earthquakes was a magnitude 3.4 temblor recorded at 3:11 a.m. Tuesday 13 miles west of Perry. A 3.1 magnitude quake was recorded at 7:30 a.m. near Crescent and a 2.7 magnitude quake was recorded northeast of Mooreland at 2:32 a.m.

No damage or injuries have been reported from the earthquakes Tuesday.