Gas producers suspend drilling operations in Arkansas

Two natural gas producers on Friday agreed to suspend drilling operations in central Arkansas, where a number of earthquakes have occurred.
Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission Director Lawrence Bengal said Chesapeake Energy and Clarita Operating agreed to suspend their operations near the community of Greenbrier, Arkansas, until March 29.
Based on information recently received by the US Geological Survey, he said there is reason to believe there is a link between injection wells and local earthquakes.
On February 27, central Arkansas was rocked by a quake registering 4.7 on the Richter Scale, Bengal said, adding it was the most severe earthquake in 30 years in Arkansas. On Thursday, the USGS website said quakes registering 3.5 and 3.2 on the Richter Scale were recorded near Greenbrier.
In January, the commission imposed a six-month moratorium on the drilling of new water-storage wells in the Greenbrier area. The commission also asked the USGS and the Center for Earthquake Research and Information at the University of Memphis to determine if there was a connection between the quakes and drilling activity.

(Source: http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/NaturalGas/6882953)