Fracking is being blamed for three earthquakes near Fort St. John last month. The B.C. Oil and Gas Commission has determined the quakes on November 29th were caused by fluid injection being done by Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.
The earthquakes registered at magnitudes 3.4, 4.0, and 4.5 and were felt on the surface but didn’t cause any damage. The first happened at 6:27 p.m. and the two smaller aftershocks ended at 7:15 p.m.
All fracking in the lower Montney formation was suspended, and the OGC says it will stay that way at CNRL’s well pad until there can be a detailed technical review. It adds that seven upper Montney wells had been drilled and completed at that well pad before this and no earthquakes more than magnitude 2.5 registered.
Other companies in the area can start up operations again. The commission requires the immediate shut down of operations when there is an induced earthquake that reaches magnitude 3.0 or more in the Kiskatinaw Seismic Monitoring and Mitigation Area.
