Oklahoma records another drop in strong earthquakes in 2018

For a third straight year, the number of strong earthquakes in Oklahoma declined.  But State seismologist Jake Walter is only cautiously optimistic.

He pointed out in a recent interview with the Tulsa World that the state’s quake frequency is still far above the historical average of only two or three magnitude 3.0s a year.

For Walter and others who are studying the earthquakes, it’s a matter of continuing to explore the link to wastewater injection wells.

As December ended, the state had recorded 196 earthquakes of at least 3.0 magnitude or greater. That compares to the 903 recorded in 2015 and the 623 recorded in 2016 as well as the 302 in 2017.