Fracking 'triggers Colorado earthquake'

Seismic activity in Colorado has prompted a halt to the disposal of wastewater from fracking. The wastewater from hydraulic fracturing - fracking - operations was being disposed of by being fed into a well; however, seismic activity was detected in the area around the well, ceasing operations, according to state regulators.

High Sierra Water Services was ordered by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) to stop using a well in Weld County for fracking wastewater disposal for a period of 20 days. The order follows on from a 2.6-magnitude tremor that was detected on Monday (June 23rd). This is the second earthquake in the area within a month, as a 3.4-magnitude quake occurred on May 31st.

It is believed that this is the first time an earthquake has been caused by fracking operations in Colorado, which has previously suffered quakes caused by coal production activities, according to a spokesperson for COGCC. However, the event is the latest fracking-related incident of its kind to have occurred in the US.

While the process of fracking has been linked to seismic activity in recent years, the disposal of its wastewater - which contains high levels of sand and chemicals - in wells has also been found to trigger earthquakes. States that have increased their energy processing using this controversial method have experienced an increase in earthquakes.

In 2012 there were around 145,000 fracking wastewater disposal wells located in the US, with 309 - according to the Colorado Geological Survey - being located in Colorado.

While disposal activities are halted, scientists have placed seismometers around the site of the disposal well in an attempt to better understand what triggered the quake and its aftershocks. Currently there are very few seismometers in the state as it is not very prone to seismic activity.