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| Oklahoma earthquake: 37 wells ordered to shut down after scientists' warning | Oklahoma earthquake: 37 wells ordered to shut down after scientists' warning |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Oklahoma has brought fresh attention to the practice of disposing oil and gas field wastewater deep underground. | A magnitude 5.6 earthquake in Oklahoma has brought fresh attention to the practice of disposing oil and gas field wastewater deep underground. |
| The United States Geological Survey said the quake happened at 7.02am on Saturday, in north-central Oklahoma, on the fringe of an area where regulators had stepped in to limit wastewater disposal. | The United States Geological Survey said the quake happened at 7.02am on Saturday, in north-central Oklahoma, on the fringe of an area where regulators had stepped in to limit wastewater disposal. |
| The shallow quake struck nine miles northwest of Pawnee, where there were no immediate reports of injuries. Damage in the town appeared to be minor. | |
| An increase in magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes in Oklahoma has been linked to underground disposal of wastewater from oil and natural gas production. | An increase in magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes in Oklahoma has been linked to underground disposal of wastewater from oil and natural gas production. |
| Saturday's earthquake led the Oklahoma Corporate Commission to order 37 wells in a 514-square-mile area around the epicentre of the quake to shut down within seven to 10 days. | |
| "All of our actions have been based on the link that researchers have drawn between the Arbuckle disposal well operations and earthquakes in Oklahoma," spokesman Matt Skinner said Saturday. | "All of our actions have been based on the link that researchers have drawn between the Arbuckle disposal well operations and earthquakes in Oklahoma," spokesman Matt Skinner said Saturday. |
| "We're trying to do this as quickly as possible, but we have to follow the recommendations of the seismologists, who tell us everything going off at once can cause an [earthquake]." | "We're trying to do this as quickly as possible, but we have to follow the recommendations of the seismologists, who tell us everything going off at once can cause an [earthquake]." |
| The commission has previously asked producers to reduce wastewater disposal volumes. | The commission has previously asked producers to reduce wastewater disposal volumes. |
| Oklahoma's economy is heavily dependent on energy production, which accounts for one in every four jobs in the state. | |
| Geologists in Oklahoma have documented links between increased seismic activity in the state and the injection of wastewater from oil and gas production into the ground, according to a report from the Oklahoma Geological Survey. | Geologists in Oklahoma have documented links between increased seismic activity in the state and the injection of wastewater from oil and gas production into the ground, according to a report from the Oklahoma Geological Survey. |
| Although the drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking", also generates large amounts of wastewater, the report said fracking is responsible for only a small percentage of the total volume of injected wastewater. | |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |