Regulatory

Northern Culberson-Reeves Deep Disposal Well Permit Suspensions

The Railroad Commission suspended all 23 disposal well permits injecting below the Wolfcamp Formation into Devonian, Silurian, and Ellenburger strata within the Northern Culberson-Reeves Seismic Response Area following seven earthquakes ranging from M3.6 to M5.2 between November and December 2023. The January 12, 2024 suspensions have triggered both administrative challenges from operators and simultaneous applications for permit modifications to authorize shallower injection intervals, creating uncertainty for produced water management infrastructure throughout the Delaware Basin.