‘Former Petroleum Worker Wants Industry Earthquake Fund’

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

The idea has been floated before but never really gained traction, The Journal Record‘s Sarah Terry-Cobo reports: “… An industry-funded entity that taxes oil and gas production, collecting fees for earthquake-related damages.”

Former petroleum worker wants industry earthquake fund

Oklahoma Geological Survey Director Jeremy Boak said California’s geothermal industry has an indemnity fund to cover damage claims related to temblors triggered by geothermal activity. But in Oklahoma, it will be challenging to determine which damages were related to quakes, and which are the result of clay soils shrinking and expanding related to weather.