Earthquakes from fracking not likely in Saskatchewan

A geological expert in Saskatchewan says the likelihood of an earthquake in this provincefrom fracking is unlikely. But there have been quakes triggered by other industries in the past.

It's a question many are asking after CBC confirmed that an 4.4 magnitude earthquakein B.C. last year was triggered by fracking.

• Fracking triggered 2014 earthquake in northeastern B.C.

Frackingis the process of injectingwater, sand and chemicalsat high pressuredeep underground to break rockand free gas.

Don Gendzwill,professor emeritus of geological sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, saidthe B.C. earthquake was likely triggered because of the pressure that exists inside of the rock.

"The cracking of the rock by the hydro-fracturing is only capable of generating relatively small amounts of energy," he explained. "If there is natural pressure inside the rock, due toancient mountain building or something, thenyou have the possibility to release a larger force."

Gendzwill said there is a lot of hydro-fracking happening in the Bakken oil fields. But the rock in Saskatchewan doesn't have much natural pressure inside it.

Even still, there have been earthquakes before in Saskatchewan, including some triggered byindustry.

Gendzwill estimatedthat there have been about dozen small earthquakes dueto salt dissolution.

And he said there have been a fewexamples of small earthquakes near potash mines. Gendzwillrecalled the largest one at amagnitude 3.8earthquake, capable of rattling windows on nearby farms.

Even though the earthquake in B.C. was relatively low in terms of magnitude, hesaid it's still a concern.

"It's a substantial earthquake and it could cause damage, especially because it's at a relatively shallow depth."