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In his living room, Richard Kabzems holds a substantial binder filled with correspondence detailing a two-year struggle to combat the expansion of fracking operations close to his residence in Farmington, B.C.
Two years ago, Ovintiv, a global oil and gas corporation, revealed plans to increase fracking activities at a newly established site just a kilometer from Kabzems’s home in the Lebell subdivision. The BC Energy Regulator (BCER) granted the necessary permit for this development.
Throughout the past two years, Kabzems and his wife, Sandy Burton, have sent six comprehensive letters opposing the project to the gas company and have also communicated extensively with the provincial regulator via emails and letters.
Despite their efforts, drilling is slated to commence on February 9, marking the beginning of what could be 24 wells at the site.
“We are the ones facing the risks, while they assure us there’s nothing to worry about,” Kabzems expressed.
His concerns are amplified by data indicating a significant rise in magnitude 3 or greater earthquakes associated with hydraulic fracturing and the underground disposal of wastewater. In 2024, the Montney Formation, a gas-rich region spanning northeastern B.C. and northwestern Alberta, recorded an unprecedented number of such earthquakes.
Monitoring data from Natural Resources Canada identified 34 earthquakes at magnitude 3 and above (M>3.0) in the Montney area, more than triple the number recorded a decade ago.
The relationship between oil and gas operations and induced seismic events is well-established globally.
Seismic experts note that magnitude 3 quakes can be perceptible and potentially damaging, contingent on their location. Each increase in magnitude corresponds to a tenfold rise in energy release.
Kabzems and Burton have previously experienced quakes originating from fracking activities occurring at a distance greater than the new drilling site.
“It felt as if a truck crashed into the side of our home, accompanied by a deep, rumbling sound, causing objects to shift in place,” he recounted, reflecting on seismic events that occurred four years prior.
However, their insurance provider informed them in June 2023 that coverage for earthquake damage would not be included in their policy.
Allan Chapman, a former senior geoscientist for the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission, analyzed data and concluded that as fracking activities expand within the Peace River region, the frequency of significant earthquakes is likely to rise.
Kabzems noted that his initial experiences with quakes left him startled, as he lacked prior knowledge to interpret the events. The unpredictable nature of earthquakes adds to the uncertainty.
Industry Awareness of Risk
Hydraulic fracturing in the Montney Formation entails deep vertical drilling followed by horizontal drilling extending up to four kilometers. This process injects a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals under high pressure to fracture rock formations, facilitating the release of gas or oil.
Should the fracking process intersect a geological fault, it may induce seismic disturbances.
The industry in British Columbia has acknowledged these seismic risks. Nevertheless, Ovintiv’s website claims that the likelihood of seismic activity is “generally very low” and emphasizes its strategy for addressing these risks through collaboration with independent research entities and regulatory bodies.
While the company has organized consultation meetings for local residents, it declined to participate in an interview with CBC News.
The increase in significant seismic events isn’t isolated to the Peace River region; both British Columbia and Alberta have witnessed a spike in earthquakes of higher magnitudes.
“In 2021, there were approximately 60 earthquakes annually, and by 2024, that number surged to 160,” commented Gail Atkinson, a consulting seismologist and former Western University professor.
Atkinson, who has extensively studied “induced seismicity,” asserts a direct correlation between the escalating frequency of earthquakes and the incidence of more severe seismic events.
“Although most recorded quakes register as minor magnitudes, an overall increase leads to a higher chance of stronger quakes occurring,” she noted.
In November 2018, construction personnel at the Site C dam on the Peace River were evacuated due to a magnitude 4.6 induced quake.
“As fracking operations continue, the extraction of oil and gas increases the likelihood of earthquakes, including ones that may have detrimental effects,” she stated. “This poses a significant trade-off.”
Atkinson advocates for heightened regulatory scrutiny regarding the growing risks and suggests the establishment of broader exclusion zones around crucial infrastructure.
“For critical infrastructures like major dams, it is prudent to implement stricter fracking exclusion zones in their vicinity,” she advised.
Escalating Concerns
The pressing need to confront the associated risks is intensified by a resurgence in fracking operations in northeastern B.C. This boom aims to supply a new pipeline that has recently begun transporting natural gas to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Kitimat, B.C., thereby opening international markets for Canadian gas for the first time.
The pipeline is expected to transport two million cubic feet of gas daily, with production in the Montney area projected to potentially double over the next two decades.
The previous administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, promoting increased oil and gas extraction with the slogan “drill, baby, drill,” aligns with the industry’s trend toward expanding fracking production.
However, indications of a rise in fracking-induced earthquakes have also been observed in Texas’s oil regions.
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This past summer, Scurry County, Texas, experienced over 60 seismic events within one week.
Jay Callaway, who served as the city’s emergency management coordinator on July 26, recalled, “It felt like a herd of livestock was approaching, followed by an unsettling silence. The next thought that crossed my mind was, ‘This is a big one.’ It registered at magnitude 5.1.”
Callaway received numerous calls reporting damage, including cracks in walls, driveways, and foundations, as well as repairs to a city water line.
Seismic events were also detected by monitors at the University of Texas in Austin, with seismologist Alexandros Savvaidis analyzing real-time earthquake occurrences.
Typically, he noted, hundreds of small tremors occur daily, most measuring below magnitude 1.5.
While acknowledgment of the connection between fracking and seismic activity was initially slow from the oil industry, Savvaidis was brought on board from Europe to help oversee TexNet, a state-funded initiative monitoring seismic events in Texas’s oil regions.
Now equipped with 200 sensors throughout the state, he observed, “When I initially arrived in 2016, there was significant resistance within the industry to acknowledge this issue. However, acceptance has grown over the last five years, both in the industry and among the public.”
The Industry’s Gamble
Midland, located within the oil-rich Permian Basin, serves as the industry’s hub. Embedded deeply in the culture, this region is even the backdrop for the new Paramount+ series Landman.
In Midland, drilling and fracking activities have become so prevalent that operations now occur within town limits. A towering rig overshadows a parking lot and strip mall, with horizontal wells extending several kilometers beneath the surface.
“The operator believes that by drilling in untouched areas, they can achieve superior results,” explained Steve Melzer, an oil industry consultant. “They’re banking on the notion that this ground, being under-explored, will yield significant returns.”
Nonetheless, Melzer cautioned that recent seismic activities present challenges for the industry.
Fracking requires substantial amounts of water, which necessitates storage. Savvaidis indicated that improper storage configurations are the primary cause of many induced earthquakes in Texas.
“If we experience another significant quake, particularly near urban centers, the implications could be considerable,” Melzer expressed. “Our hope is to develop techniques to manage water usage more effectively, reducing the amount that is returned underground.”
The intricacies of liquid storage are delicate; improper pressure, depth, or volume can trigger seismic activity. Melzer is focused on enhancing the process and exploring alternative uses for storage water to mitigate underground injection volumes.
“If we cannot minimize the volumes of water being injected underground, we may need to reduce drilling operations,” Melzer warned.
A Need for Monitoring
Kabzems has officially contested the fracking permit for the Farmington site but has received no updates since October, as construction progresses.
The BC Energy Regulator points to preventive measures, including 35 seismic monitors in the Montney region and a “traffic light system” that alerts the regulator about seismic events. If quakes reach magnitude 3 or higher, fracking operations must halt for investigation.
However, Atkinson contends that such measures, while valuable, are not fail-safe, as larger quakes may strike without being preceded by smaller tremors.
“I don’t assign blame to the oil and gas companies for adhering to current regulations,” she noted. “They operate within the bounds of their business, often utilizing their own risk assessment models.”
“It falls upon regulators and government entities to safeguard both populations and the industry as a whole, ensuring we avoid an environmental crisis stemming from potentially disastrous seismic events.”
Source
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