Did Energy Industry Wastewater Well Injections Cause Kersey’s Earthquake?

Residents northwest of Kersey felt the ground shake a little on Sunday. Now, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission wants to know whether the earthquake is related to the process of injecting wastewater deep underground.

The wastewater is a byproduct from oil and gas production. The agency says there are three potential injection wells in the area worth monitoring, and it's reduced the volume of wastewater that can be sent into the wells every day.

A spokesman said the agency will monitor data daily and work with University of Colorado researchers to see if there’s a decline in activity. The area is near the site of two earthquakes believed to be induced by oil and gas operations in 2014.