4.6 Magnitude earthquake in Northern B.C. caused by fracking
December 16, 2015
British Columbia's energy regulator has confirmed that a 4.6 magnitude earthquake in northeast B.C. earlier this year was caused by a nearby fracking operation.
"This seismic event was caused by hydraulic fracturing," said Ken Paulson, CEO of the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission. Paulson said fewer than one per cent of fracking operations trigger seismic activity, and those quakes tend to be low magnitude and cause little damage.
Fracking operations have previously triggered small earthquakes in B.C. In the U.S., the disposal of frack waste has triggered larger quakes. But scientists said last summer that the 4.6 magnitude August quake may be the largest in the world caused by hydraulic fracturing.