Read more: At least 2 earthquakes felt in northern Alberta on Tuesday In November, parts of Alberta near the northwestern town of Peace River were rocked by a series of quakes culminating in one that reached a 5.6 magnitude.Residents reported being knocked to their knees.
The earth was pushed upward by more than three centimetres — enough to register on satellites.Oilpatch techniques, such as deep disposal wells that inject wastewater kilometres underground, can induce earthquakes.
One such well located near the earthquake site, used to dispose of water used in oilsands operations, has injected more thanone millioncubic metres of wastewater down about two kilometres.
Read more: Largest recorded Alberta earthquake probably natural, scientist says After the record-breaking quake occurred, the Alberta Geological Survey, a branch of the province’s energy regulator, attributed it to natural causes.