The U.S. Geological Survey is examining whether the 5.6-magnitude earthquake that shook Oklahoma on Saturday and tied for the strongest temblor ever recorded in the state was triggered by the underground disposal of wastewater from oil and gas production. The quake, which damaged some buildings but didn’t cause serious injuries, spurred Oklahoma regulators within hours to demand that operators of 37 disposal wells in a 500-square-mile area shut down. It took place around 7:02 a.m. Saturday near Pawnee, Okla., a town of about 2,200 people roughly 55 miles northwest of Tulsa, and was felt widely throughout the middle of the country, as far as Kansas City and Houston. “Without studying the specifics of the wastewater injection and oil and gas production in this area, the USGS cannot currently conclude whether or not this particular […]