ODNR has given a Weathersfield injection well owner permission to reopen the shallower of its two brine injection wells

Staff report

WEATHERSFIELD

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has given an injection-well owner permission to reopen the shallower of its two brine injection wells on state Route 169 in Weathersfield Township, just north of Niles.

American Water Management Services is allowed to immediately resume commercial injection using the well that forces brine into the Newburg formation 4,700 feet underground, a statement from an ODNR spokesman said Thursday afternoon.

ODNR began an investigation of the two injection wells after an Aug. 30 earthquake that had a magnitude of 2.1 and an epicenter at the injection-well site.

There is still an active investigation as to the cause of the 2.1 seismic event.

ODNR ordered AWMS to shut down both wells Sept. 3 while its investigation continued.

“After analyzing all of the data obtained during the investigation ... ODNR concluded that with reasonable scientific certainty, injection operations at the shallower of the two wells was not related to the 2.1 seismic event,” the ODNR statement said.

“Therefore, the chief of the Division of Oil and Gas has terminated the chief’s orders suspending operations at that well.”

The deeper well, which is designed to push brine byproducts from gas and oil-drilling operations into the Mount Simon and Knox formations 9,100 feet below ground, “remains closed,” ODNR said.

ODNR referred to the July 28 earthquake as a “non-felt” seismic event and said the epicenter of the July 28 earthquake was about 500 feet from the AWMS wells.