Did fracking cause Oklahoma earthquake outbreak?

A worker, seen in a file photo, checks water levels and temperatures in a series of tanks at a hydrofracking operation in Colorado. (Brennan Linsley | AP Photo)

By Kevin Tampone:

More than 20 earthquakes have hit an area in northwestern Oklahoma since Wednesday night and some say the state's fracking industry could be to blame.

Oklahoma has seen a "breathtaking rise" in earthquakes in recent years as companies have been injecting more wastewater from oil and gas drilling underground, according to the Tulsa World.

The state also allows hydrofracking, the controversial drilling technique that involves injecting water and chemicals into the ground to break up rock and allow access to previously unreachable oil and gas deposits.

Oklahoma saw more than 900 earthquakes in 2015, its highest total ever. That's an increase of 55 percent from 2014 and 730 percent from 2013, according to the World.

The latest rash of earthquakes in the state hit near the town of Fairview. The outbreak included two larger quakes of 4.4 and 4.8 in magnitude.

There were no reports of damage or injuries, according to the World.

The Oklahoma Geological Survey said in April that most of the state's recent earthquakes were caused by drilling operations and not natural causes, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

The state's oil and gas association disputes those conclusions, the Monitor said. The group said there may be a link between drilling and quakes, but too much remains unknown to be sure.

Some scientists have expressed concern that Oklahoma could soon see a larger, more damaging earthquake of 5.0 or 6.0 in magnitude, the World said.

New York officially banned hydrofracking last year after more than seven years of study. It was one of the most hotly contested environmental issues in state history.

Business groups hoped the state would allow the practice, which helped contribute to a drilling boom in nearby Pennsylvania. Environmental advocates were concerned about the technique's potentially harmful side effects.

The Department of Environmental Conservation released a 1,448-page report on the subject in May. The study drew 260,000 public comments.

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