Fault activation by hydraulic fracturing in western Canada

作者：Xuewei Bao, David W. Eaton · 发表于：Science · 年份：2016 · 被引用次数：586 · 研究领域：earthquake and tectonic studies、Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Analysis、Seismic Imaging and Inversion Techniques

Triggered quakes get unconventional The big earthquakes induced by human activity are mostly linked with disposal of wastewater. However, Bao and Eaton implicate hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) as the culprit in western Canada (see the Perspective by Elsworth). Fracking near Fox Creek, Alberta, reactivated faults, clustering earthquakes along the old fault traces. Fracking does not appear to cause large earthquakes in many other areas that are prone to induced seismicity. Understanding the underlying causes of seismicity in different localities is vital for developing sound regulation to limit damaging earthquakes. Science , this issue p. 1406 ; see also p. 1380