Frackquakes: Litigation and Seismic Impact of Wastewater Injection Wells

Between 1973-2008, a total of 768 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher shook the central and eastern United States (an average of 25 each year). Meanwhile, in 2009-2019, the same region experienced a total of 3,642 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.0 or higher. Evidence is mounting that many of these earthquakes were caused by the deep injection of wastewater fluids resulting from oil and gas operations, including hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking").

Scott Poynter (Poynter Law Group, Little Rock, AR) will offer a history of the novel litigation theories and processes involving earthquakes created by wastewater disposal processes from oil and gas operations, including fracking. Poynter-the legal pioneer responsible for most of the relevant lawsuits to date-will discuss actions filed in Arkansas centered around the Guy-Greenbrier Earthquake Swarm, as well as more recent cases, appeals, and settlements reached in Oklahoma, the nation's most seismically active state. His talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

This virtual event is part of the Energy Transition Seminar Series organized by the Duke University Energy Initiative and Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.

REGISTER AND LEARN MORE: https://bit.ly/oct23talk