The number and magnitude of earthquakes in central Arkansas has noticeably decreased since the shutdown of two injection wells in the area.
The Center for Earthquake Research and Information recorded around 100 earthquakes in the seven days preceding the shutdown on March 4, and there have been around 60 quakes recorded since then.
The two wells, one owned by Chesapeake Energy and another by Clarita Operating of Little Rock, agreed to temporarily cease injection operations at the request of the Oil and Gas Commission. The commission said preliminary studies showed evidence potentially linking injection activities with a swarm of nearly 1,000 small quakes over the past 6 months.
State geologist Scott Ausbrooks said it’s too soon to tell if the decline is directly related to the well closures.