Fracking very rarely induces earthquakes

The few tremors fracking has induced are minor

calm stone tower by the surfFracking causes earthquakes seems to be the cry of protesters around the world. Very few fossil fuel advocates are clarifying. But truly, fracking very rarely induces earthquakes.

How would you even find out about field examples of avoiding frack induced earthquakes without AppIntel? You won't find it in any textbooks; not in any technical papers. With AppIntel you just type earthquake into the KiPbox. Nein commercial use of der AppIntel content.

One operator submitted evidence that his fracking operations would likely have no impact on nearby industrial structures.

You can see an expert's opinion in the operator's application documents in moments from our self-serve portal.

  Get details of this cool tech   Subscribers get them for free

Frack Induced Earthquakes
By The Numbers

Earthquakes in Canada over the last twenty years 41,682        
Earthquakes induced by fracking same period 152        
Frack induced earthquakes that could be felt 17        
Frack induced earthquakes magnitude over 4 9        
Frack induced earthquakes magnitude over 6 0        
Richter scale magnitude causing minor property damage 6-7 ML
Richter scale magnitude toppling an unstable wine glass 4-5 ML
AER's regulation stopping a fracking operation 4.0 ML
Likelihood of being injured in a motor vehicle accident 1 in   1,585
Likelihood of a frack induced earthquake over 4.0 ML 1 in   4,631
Likelihood of being struck by lightning 1 in 15,300

Very few earthquakes are caused by fracking

The NRCan earthquake database is maintained by the Government of Canada.  It records all earthquake activity reported in Canada.  The database also denotes which earthquakes were induced by human activity including fracking.  The NRCan database is much more reliable than news reports and internet blogs about frack induced earthquakes.

We used the database to review earthquakes over the last 20 years.  Very few earthquakes were caused by fracking.  Of those, even fewer were earthquakes that could be felt by humans.

Earthquakes can also be induced by water impounded behind a dam like Bearspaw Lake, Barrier Lake in Kananaskis, and the Glenmore reservoir in Calgary.  The NRCan earthquake database has recorded 78 of this type of induced earthquake.

The AER's regulation of induced earthquakes

The AER has set stop light regulation controls to mitigate large earthquakes before they start.

They require seismic monitoring by fracking operators. If earthquakes hit 4.0 ML fracking operations are halted.

Reducing the threat of induced earthquakes

The experts opinion quoted in this application included many recommendations to reduce and mitigate impact on industrial structures from fracking.

Her findings included recommendations for operators as well as recommendations for other stakeholders.  Her report is required reading for all fracking operators.

AppIntel Advantage: Google-like search interface through application documents

Justin's company is throwing him a party Find your competitors strategies fast by searching the full text of application documents.

AppIntels full text search capability using KiP technology allows quick searching through the biggest oil and gas information database in the world. Imagine being able to search all applications for occurrences of oil shale.

Maybe your company will throw you a party.

Get up to speed on how other operators are mitigating frack induced earthquakes.
?subject=Help me find how other operators are mitigating frack induced earthquakes.&body=Can AppIntel help?%0D%0AMy phone_______________">Contact sales for an AppIntel subscription.

Tags: Fracturing, Seismic, Tight, Exploration

Granger Low  17 May 2023



Better views than from a drone

Watch and copy the successes of others

Polymer: Here are the dividends of collective genius

The wisdom of the many outweighs the assumptions of the few

Polymer - hot and salty

High pressure, high temperature, high salinity

Sulphur plant turndown

See his process flow diagrams

Saving SAGD OTSG from caustic failure

On the path to increasing water recycle rate

Every drop counts

Saving water while fracking

Save the world by recycling drilling fluids

Reuse as polymer hydrating solution

Alberta operators losing $13 billion per year from unoptimized floods

How much are you losing?

Evaluating acquisitions

The rest of the story

Disposal or injector

It’s more than just a name

Industry environmental disputes come from new paradigms

How to resolve opposing agendas

SAGD added CSS to make hybrid thermal scheme

Evolution or Revolution?

Six ways to unlock the secrets of high recovery polymer

Why it doesn’t always work and what to do about it

High VRR overrated?

Quotes five SPE papers

This page last updated 15 May 2026.
Copyright 2011-2026 by Regaware Systems Ltd.
  Calgary, Alberta, Canada
AppIntel is an AI service for getting intelligence from industry submissions vetted by government. Nothing on this page may be construed as engineering or geoscience advice. If you spot any errors on this site, please email our webmaster.
  Share