Quakes, injection wells tied; panel eyes shutdown

— The Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission has called an emergency meeting to consider shutting down two injection wells in Faulkner County that have been linked to earthquakes in the region.

Commission officials said Wednesday there was enough evidence to request an emergency cease order to stop activities of two injection wells, one outside Guy owned by Chesapeake Operating Inc. and the other near Greenbrier owned by Clarita Operating LLC. The special meeting has been called for Friday.

Geologists have been studying quakes in the Greenbrier-Guy area for months to determine if there was a connection between the seismic activity and activities of gas-drilling companies in the Fayetteville Shale formation. Attention has focused on injection wells used to pump into the ground the wastewater from drilling of gas wells.

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