New Project Continues Ground Movement Potential Assessment for Fort St. John and Dawson Creek Area

 

View Presentation from Project Open House Meeting: May 29th, 2019, Dawson Creek

Vancouver, BC – May 14, 2019 – Geoscience BC has launched a new project to assess the potential amplification of ground movement associated with earthquakes generated by hydraulic fracturing and fluid injection in an area around Fort St. John and Dawson Creek in northeast British Columbia, adding detail to findings for a larger area completed earlier in 2019.

The project addresses public concerns relating to seismicity and oil and gas industry activity in northeastern BC, especially in areas close to communities and infrastructure. It will examine how seismic waves from earthquakes can potentially be amplified in specific shallow geological conditions. Lead researcher Dr. Patrick Monahan said: “Most recent studies in this area have focussed on the reduction of ground motion as you get further from the seismic event. But seismic ground motions can also be amplified significantly on sites underlain by certain sediments, compared to sites on bedrock or firm ground.” New earth science information generated by the project, which will focus in more detail on a smaller area than the recently-completed project, will be publicly available and will be particularly useful for regulators and industry operators managing petroleum industry activity to identify areas which may have an increased likelihood of felt events due to local surface conditions. The researchers will collect data from petroleum industry wells, water wells, and geotechnical boreholes to prepare a new geological map at a 1:100,000 scale that will more accurately define the surficial map unit boundaries and reflect the thickness variations in the deposits that are susceptible to amplification. Geoscience BC Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer Carlos Salas said: "The new science generated by this project will help us better understand which areas have the potential of increased ground motion during induced seismicity events associated with natural gas extraction. The information can be used by industry, regulators, communities in the Peace River Regional District and Indigenous groups to improve industry procedures to manage felt events." Project open house meeting Join Geoscience BC staff and lead researcher Dr. Patrick Monahan at an Open House in Dawson Creek to learn more about this project and to answer any questions you may have. Light refreshments to be provided. When:                 Wednesday, May 29th, 2019 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Where:               Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre – Meeting Room 1, 10401 10 Street, Dawson Creek Who:                   Event is open to anyone and free to attend – click here to register your attendance   About Geoscience BC Geoscience BC generates independent, public geoscience research and data about British Columbia’s minerals, energy and water resources. This advances knowledge, informs responsible development, encourages investment and stimulates innovation. Our collaboration with the resource sectors, academia, communities, Indigenous groups and government develops and shares unbiased and credible earth science research and data. Geoscience BC is a not for profit society incorporated under the BC Societies Act. Visit www.geosciencebc.com or follow us @GeoscienceBC to find out more. For more information, please contact: Richard Truman Geoscience BC 604-662-4147 truman@geosciencebc.com