A 4.5 magnitude earthquake was detected near Grande Prairie

A minor earthquake in northwestern Alberta was felt widely across the region Thursday and even in parts of British Columbia.

According to the Canadian Earthquake Service, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake was detected about 40 kilometers south of Grande Prairie, just before 3:15 p.m. Thursday.

The shaking was felt throughout the Grande Prairie region, and the agency said it received reports from people as far away as Whitecourt, Alta., as well as McBride and Prince George's, British Columbia.

“I was in the work shed, and while I was sitting here minding my own business, it was quiet, and all of a sudden, the shed started shaking,” said Casey McGregor, who lives in Grande Prairie. “It was like turbulence on a plane, but it was really weird because at least when you're on a plane, you kind of expect this turbulence, and it came out of nowhere.

“I've lived in Grande Prairie for 22 years now, and I don't remember having earthquakes here growing up. Now they're becoming very frequent.”

It is one of several earthquakes to hit the region in recent years.

In November 2022, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake occurred near Peace River, the largest earthquake ever recorded in Alberta.

A study by the University of Alberta and Stanford University found that this is due to oil and gas activity.

“There are a number of earthquakes in this area and it's an area known for induced seismicity. So this is seismicity associated with industry, hydraulic fracturing and wastewater disposal,” said Camille Brion, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada.

“Within 100 kilometers of this event, earthquakes of magnitude 10 or more have occurred in the past 10 years. So there are earthquakes of magnitude 4 in this area. Most of them are related to industry,” she said.

In an emailed statement, the Alberta Energy Regulator said the Alberta Geological Survey is reviewing Thursday's incident to determine the exact cause, but it is believed to have been caused by disposal in wells at Secure Energy's Big Mountain facility.

According to the company's website, the Big Mountain site is a water-disposable facility.

Drainage wells are wells in which resources have been depleted and then reused as sites, where waste fluids can be injected for safe disposal. This waste often includes wastewater that has been used in hydraulic fracturing operations.

The AER said there were no reports of damage or injuries and that Secure Energy had used its mitigation protocols.

CBC has reached out to the company for comment.

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