Texas Railroad Commission shuts down defiant Houston oil field operator after third earthquake

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The Texas Railroad Commission has voted to suspend a permit for Blackbuck Resources, a Houston oil field operator, following a series of earthquakes in West Texas. This decision comes after a year-long legal battle regarding the company's wastewater injection practices, which have been linked to seismic activity in the region. The commission's emergency order previously halted Blackbuck's operations for 15 days, and the latest ruling permanently shuts down its disposal well, although the company retains the option to appeal in district court.

Three significant earthquakes have occurred in the area this year, with the most powerful reaching a magnitude of 5.4, marking it as one of the strongest in Texas history. Blackbuck was the only company still permitted to inject wastewater after the commission banned the practice in December 2023 due to increased seismic activity. Despite the company's claims that its operations were geologically isolated, commission staff asserted that the disposal well was contributing to the earthquakes.