Ohio Shuts Down 4 Fracking Waste Wells After Brine Spill Damages 50 Gas Wells

Ohio regulators ordered four injection wells to stop operating on July 1 and 2 after discovering they were leaking brine, a toxic byproduct of fracking, into nearby oil and gas production wells. One well operator reported that brine contamination has damaged 50 of his 171 wells over seven years, costing him money daily. The shutdown marks a rare enforcement action against waste disposal wells that inject millions of barrels of fracking wastewater annually into the ground.

How brine migration damaged dozens of wells

Brine waste from fracking operations has been migrating through Washington County’s geology since at least 2019. An Ohio Department of Natural Resources investigation found brine had traveled up to five miles away, flooding 28 production wells. Bob Wilson, who owns 171 gas wells in the county, reported that 50 of his wells are now contaminated. One injection well, Redbird No. 4, leaked 4.2 million gallons of brine waste after just one year of operation.

The four wells that are now closed

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ordered Redbird Nos. 4 and 5, American Growers No. 1, and Nichols No. 1-A to cease operations. The wells are owned by Redbird Development LLC, DeepRock Disposal Solutions, and Select Water Solutions LLC. Washington County has 17 active class II injection wells total. In 2023 and 2024 alone, the county accepted 11.9 million barrels of oil and gas wastewater, most from out of state.

Why the shutdown took so long

Bev Reed of Buckeye Environmental Network, an advocacy group, questioned why state regulators waited years to act. “ODNR has known there’s been a problem regarding these injection wells for a very long time,” Reed said. The state is now finalizing a contract with a third-party consultant to study private water wells near the affected area. Reed called for a longer investigation of the entire county to assess cumulative impacts from all injection wells.

What happens next

The well owners and ODNR’s Division of Oil and Gas Resource Management are developing a plan to address the brine migration. Bob Wilson and Bob Lane, both gas well operators harmed by contamination, filed a lawsuit against injection well companies in 2019. Wilson said at a July 7 press conference: “I’ve been living in hell for seven years. I get up and go to work every day and lose money.”

Final Thoughts

The closure of four injection wells signals growing pressure on Ohio regulators to control fracking waste disposal. With 50 wells already contaminated and lawsuits pending, the state faces pressure to tighten oversight of the remaining 13 active injection wells in the county.

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