Purged.
Oilfield wastewater, polluted wells and the people living with the consequences in Oklahoma.
Across Oklahoma, oilfield wastewater has continued to surface from the ground — even as regulators failed to contain it. This investigation examines how oversight fell short, how contamination spread and how families were left to navigate the consequences.
Inside the investigation
This oil company is linked to 1,000 pollution incidents and other violations. Oklahoma never punished it.
Read the investigation ↗
Toxic wastewater from oil fields keeps pouring out of the ground. Oklahoma regulators failed to stop it.
Read the storyToxic Ground
An investigative documentary from The Frontier and ProPublica.
The United States is the largest oil and gas producer in the world. A toxic byproduct of all that drilling — billions of gallons of oil field wastewater — is rising to the surface and threatening communities across Oklahoma.
In “Toxic Ground,” reporter Nick Bowlin crisscrosses the state to uncover the impact of this environmental crisis on Oklahomans.
Watch on YouTube ↗
Regulatory oversight
Oil regulators found hundreds of wells violating Oklahoma rules. Then they ignored their findings.
Read story ↗How Oklahoma’s hidden oilfield crisis is bubbling to the surface.
Read story ↗Developments and responses
Oklahoma oil company plugs disposal well that posed threat to city’s drinking water.
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To protect its drinking water, this city has to appeal to the oil regulators that put it at risk.
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New bills seek to rein in oil companies’ pollution of Oklahoma groundwater.
Read story ↗
Two candidates want to shape Oklahoma’s energy future. They disagree on how to regulate it.
Read story ↗
Nick Bowlin
Nick Bowlin joined The Frontier in 2025 as part of ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network. He covers energy and the oil and gas industry.
Dylan Goforth helped launch The Frontier in 2015. He became Executive Editor in 2017. He covers politics and criminal justice.
Contact: dylan@readfrontier.com or 918-931-9405.