Boom Times for Fracking's Toxic Wastewater Come to a Shaky End
Regulations to reduce fracking-related earthquakes in Oklahoma are wrecking disposal businesses.
This article is for subscribers only.
In 2010, as fracking was taking off in Oklahoma, Jeff Andrews, a former oil rig manager and drilling consultant, had an idea for how to cash in on the boom. Rather than drill a well that would produce oil, Andrews decided to drill one that could be used to dispose of all the salty, toxic wastewater that comes up with it.
At the time, it seemed like a sure bet. For every barrel of oil produced in Oklahoma, drillers produce an average of about 10 barrels of wastewater. While other states tend to treat and recycle their oil and gas wastewater, Oklahoma has a long history of shooting it back down a hole in the ground—and forgetting about it.