Fracking cause of human-made quakes in West, study finds

EDMONTON— New research suggests that hydraulic fracking of oil and gas wells is behind earthquakes caused by humans in Western Canada.

A study, published Tuesday by a group of top Canadian researchers, says problems in Alberta and British Columbia aren’t being caused by injecting waste water underground. It’s a major step in understanding seismic events that have already led to changed regulations in Alberta and caused public concern.

“It’s critical that we get to a complete scientific understanding of the issue,” said David Eaton, a University of Calgary geophysicist and a co-author of the study.

Fracking involves pumping highpressure fluids underground to create tiny cracks in rock to release natural gas or oil. Scientists had previously concluded that oilpatch activity can cause earthquakes, but they didn’t know whether the quakes were caused by fracking or the underground disposal of waste water.

Scientists are aware of the pressure they face to get the issue right.

“There’s a mixture of science and the whole social-political aspect of this,” Eaton said.