Fracking and its possible harm to the environment is currently being studied and last year, the Oklahoma Geological Survey team had some reports that were critical of those who use the method.
According to Bloomberg, billionaire oil tycoon, Harold Hamm, told the dean of the University of Oklahoma’s Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, Larry Grillot, he wanted those scientists fired, or dismissed from the OGS.
Hamm, who is the CEO of Continental Resources based in Oklahoma City, is one the university’s biggest donors.
To be more specific, the reports were linking the oil and gas activity to the 400-fold increase in earthquakes. The study could eventually lead to state or even federal-level action that could eventually ban the use of said activities for obtaining oil.
When the reports came out, apparently Hamm approached the dean and demanded the scientists be dismissed from the project, according to a recount the dean detailed in an e-mail that was recently made public.
“Mr. Hamm is very upset at some of the earthquake reporting to the point that he would like to see select OGS staff dismissed,” Grillot wrote in the e-mail. He also noted that Hamm would be “visiting with Governor [Mary] Fallin on the topic of moving the OGS out of the University of Oklahoma.”
Business Insider has reported the University did not cave to Hamm’s pressures to fire the scientists.
Bloomberg has previously reported Oklahoma scientists have been slow to roll out their findings.
(Source: Latin Post)
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