ENID, Okla. — In November 2013, Oklahoma’s state seismologist received a request from David Boren that made him nervous, according to a Bloomberg news report.
Austin Holland, research seismologist at Oklahoma Geological Survey/University of Oklahoma, reportedly was asked by OU President Boren to his office for coffee with university donor Harold Hamm, a former Enid resident.
Hamm, a billionaire, is founder of Continental Resources Inc. and gave $20 million for OU’s new diabetes center in 2011. Boren, a former U.S. senator, sits on the Continental board.
“It was just a little bit intimidating,” Holland told Bloomberg.
Holland studies possible ties between increased seismic activity and oil production. Hamm requested the seismologist be careful when discussing the potential link between energy operations and increased earthquakes, according to Bloomberg.
Wastewater disposal wells have been linked in studies to the increase in seismic activity in Oklahoma.
“It was an expression of concern,” Holland reportedly said.
Details have emerged as Oklahoma Geological Survey emails have been released through public records requests filed by media including EnergyWire, which initially reported on the meeting with Hamm.
The e-mails imply some industry pressure on the state’s scientists, Bloomberg reports.
However, energy companies say the contact was appropriate.
“The insinuation that there was something untoward that occurred in those meetings is both offensive and inaccurate,” Continental Resources spokeswoman Kristin Thomas told Bloomberg. “Upon its founding, the Oklahoma Geological Survey had a solid reputation of an agency that was accessible and of service to the community and industry in Oklahoma. We hope that the agency can continue the legacy to provide this service.”
Boren characterized the Hamm meeting as “purely informational.”
“Mr. Hamm is a very reputable producer and wanted to know if Mr. Holland had found any information which might be helpful to producers in adopting best practices that would help prevent any possible connection between drilling and seismic events,” Boren said in a statement to the Tulsa World. “In addition, he wanted to make sure that the Survey (OGS) had the benefit of research by Continental geologists.”
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