The Province is taking a leadership role to mitigate seismic events associated with natural gas development and the BC Oil and Gas Commission has been studying induced seismic events in the northeast since 2011.

Their research found that disposing of wastewater and hydraulic fracturing near pre-existing faults is linked to a few small, detectable movements underground. This movement has not resulted in any injuries or surface damage.

With the most modern regulations in Canada, B.C. has one of the most up-to-date regulatory frameworks in the world for shale gas development, which is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure public safety and protect the environment.

Facts:

• Only a very small percentage of seismic events are related to oil and gas activity and even fewer are ever felt at the surface. For example:
• Only two of 104 active wastewater disposal wells in B.C. have been linked to induced seismicity.
• Approximately 2.6% of hydraulic fracturing operations in the Montney were linked to a seismic event.
• There are 11 seismic monitoring stations in northeast B.C., as well as operator installed, localized observation units capable of identifying events deep underground. This technology monitors for induced events and provides reports to the BC Oil and Gas Commission.
• The Province’s regulator – the BC Oil and Gas Commission – responds to seismic events as soon as they are detected. If there is a correlation between the seismicity and oil and gas activity, the company is contacted and, if necessary, operations are suspended.
• Out of an abundance of caution, the Province has tightened requirements to monitor, report and address seismic disturbances. These procedures to reduce seismicity, include:
• Operations at natural gas wells must stop immediately if seismicity reaches a magnitude of 4.0. At this magnitude, seismicity is usually felt but shaking is below the damage threshold.
• Maximum reservoir and injection pressure are prescribed by the regulator to reduce seismicity associated with wastewater disposal.
• Additional permit conditions as of Jun. 1, 2016 require the presence of ground motion monitoring during hydraulic fracturing activities for areas where previous seismic activity occurred.
• The Province’s regulator – the BC Oil and Gas Commission – may deny applications for wastewater disposal in zones near pre-existing faults or in areas with known induced seismicity.
• The BC Oil and Gas Commission seismicity zone: http://www.bcogc.ca/public-zone/seismicity