MARIETTA, Ohio, July 11, 2026, 14:10 (EDT)
Ohio regulators say four oil and gas wastewater injection wells in Washington County shut down July 1 and 2 after the state raised concerns about possible impacts on nearby producing wells. One, Nichols No. 1-A, is recorded under Select Water Solutions LLC, a subsidiary of Select Water Solutions Inc. NYSE:WTTR. WTAP reported the shutdown at 8:10 p.m. EDT Friday, after WTTR stock closed at $19.25, up 0.4%. Charlotte Nichols told WTAP the well had not stopped running, while Andy Chow, communications chief for ODNR, said, “The division chief is under the impression that the well owner agreed to cease operations.” https://www.wtap.com
The halt affects four of Washington County’s 17 active Class II disposal wells, about 23.5% of the total. The county took in 11.9 million barrels of wastewater in 2023 and 2024, most coming from out of state. Bob Wilson, who owns Wilson Energy, said 50 out of his 171 oil wells were flooded. At a July 7 briefing, Wilson said, “I’ve been living in hell for seven years.” Farm and Dairy
For investors, volume gives a clearer read. The county’s total comes to about 16,300 barrels a day. That’s against the 1.4 million barrels a day Select reported as recycled or disposed in its Water Infrastructure business for the first quarter, where the segment pulled in $96.7 million in revenue. On a rate basis (not revenue), the county’s two-year average is about 1.2% of Select’s first-quarter volume handled. No breakdown was given for the Nichols well’s share.
| Metric | Washington County | Select Water | Investor read-through |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Class II wells before pause | 17 | — | Four wells are 23.5% |
| Wells covered by pause | 4 | One subsidiary site | WTTR only at one site |
| Reported daily volume | About 16,300 barrels | 1.4 million barrels | County volume is about 1.2% |
| Water Infrastructure revenue | Not broken out | $96.7 million in Q1 | Ohio’s share not given |
The public record hasn’t cleared up whether operations stopped. ODNR’s website still had the four wells marked as “Active Injection” on Saturday, with total depths listed from 4,510 to 6,251 feet. That label might just mean they have permits, not that they’re pumping. The online database does not show the pause that was announced. Ohio DNR GIS
| Well | Owner listed by ODNR | Township | Total depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redbird No. 4 | Redbird Development LLC | Dunham | 4,510 feet |
| Redbird No. 5 | Redbird Development LLC | Dunham | 4,660 feet |
| Nichols No. 1-A | Select Water Solutions LLC | Dunham | 6,093 feet |
| American Growers No. 1 | DeepRock Disposal Solutions LLC | Marietta | 6,251 feet |
Brine, the salty byproduct from oil-and-gas drilling, has leaked outside its disposal zone in this area before. In 2020, ODNR probed 28 production wells that saw more brine, and said wastewater from Redbird No. 4 had moved through natural cracks into a neighboring rock layer. Redbird No. 4 injected about 4.2 million barrels into the Ohio Shale before injections there stopped in December 2019. The agency added it was unlikely the brine got into drinking-water sources.
David Jeffery, geology professor at Marietta College, said there are signs of unusual underground activity after pressure rose at production wells. “Oil and gas wells basically lose pressure over time, so there’s something unnatural going on,” he said Tuesday. According to Jeffery, fluids usually move from higher-pressure injection zones into lower-pressure formations. newsandsentinel.com/
The bigger risk for investors isn’t Select well’s current earnings impact. The concern is if ODNR expands the pause, orders more monitoring or cleanup, or pushes waste shipments farther. Redbird has two wells on hold, DeepRock and Select have one each. A mild scenario would be a brief pause without any drinking-water hit. But actual site volumes are still unknown, so a 23.5% drop in well count doesn’t mean much for revenue until that number comes out.
U.S. cash equity markets are shut for the weekend. WTTR investors will get their first shot to trade on the late Friday news when markets open Monday, July 13. For the week coming up, attention is on the status of ODNR’s planned operator checks, changes—if any—to the four public well cards, and any details on the third-party review for area private wells. The agency didn’t say when its work would be finished, local media reported.
