Just four months into 2014, Oklahoma has already set a new record for earthquakes. So far this year, according to the OGS, there have been more than 140 earthquakes registering at a magnitude of 3.0 or above, compared to 109 for the entire year of 2013. In 2012, there were just 40 earthquakes that registered at a magnitude of 3.0 or above.
The sudden jump in activity has attracted interest from geologists across the country — even from California — who have descended on Oklahoma to try and understand what’s causing the earthquakes.
One source of suspicion and debate has centered on the state’s booming natural gas industry, which has increased its production using a technique known as fracturing — or fracking. The process uses large amounts of water to coax gas from underground rock formations, and some scientists have speculated the disposal of that wastewater in deep-injection wells near the fault lines could be triggering earthquakes.
Earlier this month, geologists in Ohio linked earthquakes there to fracking, and authorities in Texas, where quakes have also been on the increase, are investigating that source as well.
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There are some signs Oklahoma officials are buying into the theory that oil and gas drilling could be playing a role. Last week, the state Corporation Commission passed a rule that would force drillers to report their wastewater injection rates on a daily basis instead of monthly to allow researchers to track in real time whether those activities are triggering earthquakes. (The measure has to be approved by the state Legislature and the governor.)
At the same time, the OGS has increased its number of seismic activity monitors around the state from seven to 30 — with several positioned near Guthrie, in hopes of learning more about why the ground is shaking so much.
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