Ex-Oklahoma seismologist felt pressured in earthquake work
Source: Associated Press
Updated 6:33 pm, Wednesday, November 15, 2017
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma's former lead seismologist says he felt pressured by a University of Oklahoma official to not link the state's surge in earthquakes to oil and gas production.
Austin Holland's sworn testimony came last month as part of a lawsuit filed in 2015 by Prague resident Jennifer Cooper against two oil companies for damages sustained during an earthquake in 2011, the Tulsa World reported . The 5.7 magnitude quake that hit the Prague area, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City, was the largest in state history.
University President David Boren disputed Holland was ever pressured by the school.
Researchers have linked the spike in the number of earthquakes in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and other states to the underground disposal of wastewater from oil and gas production. Holland said he was reprimanded for helping publish a peer-reviewed journal article on how to cope with such earthquakes.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/texas/article/Former-Oklahoma-seismologist-testifies-in-12359508.php
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