A hydraulic fracturing operation near the community of Fox Creek in northwestern Alberta has been shut down after an earthquake last week.Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, injects water, sand and chemicals at high pressure several kilometres underground to break rocks and release natural gas, as shown in this 2014 file photo from North Dakota. A hydraulic fracturing operation near the community of Fox Creek in northwestern Alberta has been shut down after an earthquake last week.
Cygnet Energy, a small Calgary-based firm, reported the quake near one of its well sites, the AER said.Federal researchers believe the quake was triggered by industrial activity. "It does look like it has picked up and I would just expect it's because they may be ramping up activity in the area," Smith said.
The Fox Creek area and its fracking-caused quakes have long been the focus of researchers and regulators in Alberta.One of the largest occurred in 2016 just west of Fox Creek and was measured at 4.8 magnitude. It was so strong that it was felt in St. Albert, 280 km away.