Oklahoma regulators probing oil, gas near site of new quakes

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma's oil-and-gas regulators are investigating a recent cluster of earthquakes recorded near Blanchard, about 30 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City, including three of magnitude 3.0 or higher.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission announced Wednesday it is investigating all oil and gas activity near Blanchard. The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded at least eight tremors in the area since last week. Before that, the Blanchard area had seen three similar-sized earthquakes since January, all of which were recorded in May.

The commission issued a series of directives in February aimed at reducing earthquakes, asking the operators of nearly 250 injection wells in northwestern Oklahoma to reduce the amount of wastewater they inject underground by 40 percent.

The Blanchard area is not covered under those directives.