According to new research from a paper co-authored by a Geological Survey of Canada scientist, a definitive link exists between hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and almost ever large induced earthquake record in British Columbia and Alberta's oil and gas patches since 1985.
Scientists now have evidence that 90% of earthquakes over magnitude 3.0 that shook the region were triggered by a tiny fraction - in total 39 wells, less than 1% - of onshore fracking wells for oil and gas.
Scientists are not sure of the factors involved in triggering these earthquakes.
"It is important for us to realize that indeed hydraulic fracturing can induce earthquakes," said Honn Kao, a research scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada and one of 13 co-authors of a study, set to be published in the May-June issue of the peer-reviewed Seismological Research Letters, the journal of the Seismological Society of America. "But the evidence so far indicates there are other factors that may be important in this process as well, so that we cannot blame all the hydraulic fracturing operations for inducing big earthquakes," he said.
Kao said these other factors are likely related to local geology, local hydrology and the distribution of tectonic plates and fault lines, but more research is needed.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/more-than-90-of-larger-earthquakes-in-western-canada-triggered-by-fracking-1.3510812
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