Right in the heart of the Permian Basin, a major earthquake was recorded this week.
The U.S. Geological Survey stated it measured 5.1 magnitude and was centered near Midland, Texas. The quake was recorded Monday night at 7:49 and was close to the community of Ackerly or about 27 miles north of Midland.
The USGS indicated it was among the top five largest earthquakes in Texas history. It was strong enough to have been felt in Austin, according to Austin TV stations.
The state’s strongest earthquake, 5.8 magnitude was recorded Aug. 16 of 1931 and was centered between El Paso and Big Bend. The most recent quake is likely to draw the attention of regulators who have attempted to put controls on deep wastewater injection wells used in the heavy oil production area of the Permian Basin.
Investigators believe some of the injection wells might have caused a recent increase in earthquakes, especially in the west Texas region. The USGS reports that 82% of all earthquakes in Texas with a magnitude 2.5 or more have occurred since the start of 2020.
