Natural Resources Canada, March 4, 2019:
Local Time: 05:55:17 MST
Magnitude: 4.6 ML
Latitude: 52.22 North
Longitude: 114.07 West
Depth: 1.0 km
UT Date and Time: 2019/03/04 12:55:17 UT
[AER reports the quake at 4.1M, Vesta Energy at 4.32M, while Geological Survey of Canada arrogantly tells the public it looks like frac’ing didn’t do it! If frac’ing didn’t do it, why was the quake so shallow, why did Vesta stop frac’ing and why is AER investigating Vesta’s frac’ing?]
Approximate Location of Earthquake: Felt in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Benalto, Eckville, Blackfalds, Lacombe, Springbrook, Penhold, Leslieville, AB.
[Refer also to:
Tony Boschmann comment, March 4, 2019 on ASRG FB Page:
Sounds like a “controlled explosion”, as they say in the fracking world, was anything but. Id be curious to see the actual site of the frack. Events like this get minimized or played down.
I add the following story for validation.
I once investigated a “minor steam release” at an Oil Sands SAGD (steam assisted gravity drainage) facility, Deer Creek Energy. The minor steam release was a nuclear like explosion that created a kilometer wide and 50 meter deep crater. But you never heard government or industry call it that because it negatively impacted the industry. Or you just never heard about it.]
U.S. Geological Survey: 4.6-magnitude earthquake at 0.8 km depth strikes in Colorado southeast of Moab by Jacob Klopfenstein with Heather Kelly, Morgan Pratt, Randall Jeppesen contributing, March 4, 2019, KSL Newsradio, KSL.com
BEDROCK, Colorado —
…
The USGS has reported there is a 54 percent chance of aftershock earthquakes with magnitudes of 3.0 or higher in the area within the next week, according to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.
Hale said every earthquake increases the chance of a larger earthquake by about 5 percent.However, those larger quakes sometimes are only .05-magnitude stronger than the initial tremor, Hale said.
The idea that earthquakes relieve pressure a larger earthquake in the future is a myth, Hale said.”Small earthquakes don’t really relieve the pressure for a larger quake,” he said. “That’s the most important thing that we want to dispel.” …
Fracking connection probed in 4.6-magnitude earthquake near Sylvan Lake by Ryan Rumboldt, March 4, 2019, Calgary Herald
The Alberta Energy Regulator is working to determine if a fracking operation caused an earthquake near Sylvan Lake and Red Deer on Monday.
…
The AER has confirmed Vesta Energy had been fracking in the area just prior to the quake, which was detected by the company’s private seismic monitoring devices around 12 kilometres south of Sylvan Lake at a magnitude of 4.16.
The Alberta Energy Regulator said the earthquake was reported to them by the company at 6:20 a.m.
“We are currently reviewing the events to determine if the incident is due to hydraulic fracturing activities or natural causes,” said Natalie Brodych, spokesperson with the AER
The regulator said Vesta has stopped work at the site while the AER investigates whether the fracking led to the quake.
Earthquakes Canada initially had trouble pinpointing the earthquake, locating it first northeast of Red Deer, then south of the city. [Or, were there two quakes, and NRC, AER, industry don’t want that known? More information about the NE location, at an industry waste injection well, in comments by Diana Daunheimer to the CBC article below] The most recent update has placed it 19 km west of Red Deer, near Sylvan Lake. The earthquake occurred about a kilometre below the surface. [Emphasis added]
Magnitude 4.6 earthquake most powerful to have ever hit central Alberta, AER probing whether frac’ing to blame by Paul Cowley and Megan Roth, March 4, 2019, Red Deer Advocate
…
Taimi Mulder, an earthquake seismologist with the Geological Survey of Canada says the most powerful earthquakes in central Alberta usually top out at 3.8 to 4 on the Richter scale.
Normally earthquakes that sit on the higher end of the scale for Central Alberta are around 3.8-4 on the Richter scale.
“We are still classifying this as a light earthquake, but it does seem to be the largest to hit the area,” said Mulder.
The quake occurred around 5:55 a.m. local time Monday and was lightly felt in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake and Lacombe. The earthquake originated about a kilometre below the surface.
Mulder said the event is still being investigated, but it does not appear to be caused by fracking in the area. The cause is believed to be from tectonic movement along the Rocky Mountains. [Who is paying Ms. Mulder?]
While Central Alberta is a distance away from a fault line, quakes still occur every few years.
“It is very unusual, but not unheard of to have an earthquake in the area,” Mulder said adding, “Normally we see more activity in larger centres such as Calgary, Edmonton or Banff.”
AltaLink spokesman Scott Schreiner said about 5:55 a.m. a signal from a substation just south of Sylvan Lake indicated a problem.
“It indicated we had lost two transformers there that had tripped out of service.”
About 4,600 customers were affected. Some got their power back within eight minutes but others had to wait until just before 7:30 a.m.
Schreiner said the electricity transmission system is designed with safety mechanisms that are triggered when any anomalies are detected.
All of the customers are being served by one transformer and technicians are checking the second to ensure there was no damage before it is brought back into service.
Schreiner said they can’t say for sure the earthquake caused the problem.
“Not conclusively. I think it’s a reasonable assumption to say that it is related to the earthquake but the investigation is ongoing.” [Emphasis added]
4.6-magnitude earthquake rattles Sylvan Lake and Red Deer by Shawn Knox, March 4, 2019, Calgary Sun
Natural Resources Canada says there has been a 4.6-magnitude earthquake in central Alberta.
The federal department’s website said the tremor, which was felt in Red Deer and Sylvan Lake at about 5:55 a.m., was classified as a light earthquake.
Earthquakes Canada initially had trouble pin-pointing the earthquake, locating it first northeast of Red Deer, then south of Red Deer. The most recent update has placed it 19 km west of Red Deer, near Sylvan Lake. The earthquake occurred about a kilometre below the surface.
…
‘A very short, sharp shock’: Earthquake rattles central Alberta by Wallis Snowdon, March 4, 2019, CBC News
A 4.6-magnitude earthquake rattled central Alberta Monday morning.
The quake occurred about four kilometres southwest of Red Deer at 5:55 a.m., Earthquakes Canada confirmed in a report on its website. Earthquakes Canada initially reported the epicentre was about 35 kilometres north of Red Deer.
The one-kilometre-deep quake was “lightly felt” by residents in Red Deer and Sylvan Lake, the report said. [“Lightly” knocking power out to 4,600 people?]
People reported on social media that tremor temporarily knocked out the power in some areas of Sylvan Lake.
Colleen Jesse was asleep on the couch in her fourth-floor apartment in downtown Red Deer when the quake startled her awake.
“All of a sudden, the couch was shaking and everything is moving in my apartment,” she said. “I sit up … and I’m going, ‘Is my apartment falling down?’ And I look out the window and there is nothing.
“It was pretty scary.”
Jesse said her four-month-old Maltese puppy started barking as the windows began to rattle and shake.
Jesse said it was an unnerving morning. She feels grateful the quake wasn’t more powerful.
“[The dog] was looking around wondering what was going and he’s kind of growling because he was wondering too, why is everything shaking?
“It was pretty frightening, especially on the fourth floor.”
Hydraulic fracturing in area
The Alberta Energy Regulator said the earthquake was detected Monday morning about 12 kilometres south of Sylvan Lake. The seismic activity was reported at 6:20 a.m. by Calgary-based oil and gas operator Vesta Energy, the AER said.
“Vesta Energy was conducting hydraulic fracturing activities in the area, but has since stopped,” said Natalie Brodych, a spokesperson with the AER.
“We are currently reviewing the events to determine if the incident is due to hydraulic fracturing activities or natural causes.”
There has been no reported impact on public safety, infrastructure or the environment, the AER said.
A statement from Vesta Energy said the company’s monitoring equipment detected a 4.32 magnitude seismic event about 20 kilometers southwest of Red Deer.
The company said it has shut down operations in the area and is working with the AER to investigate.
“Safety of the public and our employees is paramount at Vesta Energy,” the company said in an emailed statement.
“The company has real-time seismic-monitoring equipment on site which will be used in its investigation of the situation.”
The Geological Survey of Canada has received numerous reports from residents who felt the rumble, said Taimi Mulder, an earthquakes seismologist with the agency.
“People that felt the earthquake said dishes have rattled,” Mulder said told CBC News.
“Some people have described it as a truck slamming into the house, so they felt a very short, sharp shock.”
It’s unlikely the earthquake was powerful enough to cause any damage, Mulder said. [Just lightly powerful enough to knock power out to 4,600 people?]
Earthquakes unusual in area
Earthquakes are unusual in the area but not unheard of, said David Eaton, Industrial Research Chair in Microseismic System Dynamics and a professor with the Department of Geoscience at the University of Calgary.
There is a link between fracking and earthquakes but the cause of Monday’s seismic event remains unclear, he said.
Some areas of the province are more prone to earthquakes, whether they are triggered by natural or man-made forces, Eaton said. Long-term monitoring across the province is important to manage that risk.
“There is no scientific evidence if there is a trend upwards or downwards in terms of the intensity, but it’s something that we would like to better understand for the safety and security of Albertans,” Eaton said.
“Further study on these kind of earthquakes is very much something that were very much interested in doing … we’re really interested in trying to understand the root causes.” [Emphasis added]
A few of the comments, some excellent ones by Diana Daunheimer:
Diana Daunheimer
It’s past time for a factual discussion regarding hydraulic fracturing. No further study is necessary, just transparency.
Although technically complex and varied, fundamentally, hydraulic fracturing involves multi-staged, intensely pressured injections of high volumes of fluids and/or gases, which generate enough force to fracture and fissure a normally stable geologic formation in the earth’s crust. These induced fracture propagations, create permeability in the hydrocarbon-bearing zone, so that fossil fuel products can be produced. Fracture fluids often contain “proppants”, such as crystalline silica or ceramic beads, to ensure fractures remain propped open, allowing for the migration of formation products from the target zone.
By its very nature, hydraulic fracturing is a series of induced micro seismic events, which are often monitored at the surface with seismic testing to determine the success, position and length of resulting fracture propagations. Such as the case with Vesta employing real time monitoring on their site during this recent event. Micro seismic testing is also apparent in every tour report submitted to the AER for all completions events.
Fracking is such a powerful industrial process, each time it is performed, a series of anthropomorphic earthquakes occur. Most events remain under 2.0 on the Richter scale, imperceptible at the surface, except to seismic monitors, however, depending on local geography, depth, duration and volume of fracture fluids, induced events have reached up to 4.8 (Repsol, MD Fox Creek) thus far.
This will be a continuing and ongoing trend, and the risks and impacts must be relayed to the public by the responsible parties.
For the AER to claim no impact to infrastructure, when thousands lost power is unacceptable.
Ken Stephens @Diana Daunheimer
I love the smell of gasoline. Just not in my tap water.
2 hours ago
Diana Daunheimer @Ken Stephens
Funny that you mention that, since there are no numerical guidelines or parameters in the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines for gasoline and its organic constituents. So if it was in your tap water, best of luck in getting mitigation and remediation.
Wolf Engler
CBC archives: Existing research identifies fracking as the most likely cause:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/more-than-90-of-larger-earthquakes-in-western-canada-triggered-by-fracking-1.3510812
7 hours ago
James Whiting @Wolf Engler Excellent find. Maybe Mr. Kenney should read this.
…
Peter Manchak @Edward Blythe Groundwater is nowhere near the fraced zones..Geology 101
7 hours ago
Diana Daunheimer @Peter Manchak
Fracking has occurred at all depths and directions in Alberta, including into the Base of Groundwater Protection, evidenced by AER directives that pertain to operations within the BGWP. Erroneousy categorized as only being performed on deep, horizontal wells, fracking has been employed in wells as shallow as 100m, such as the case with fracked CBM wells, up to depths beyond 5000m, and in all directions, vertical, horizontal, deviated, and directional.
The AER also records known communication events, in which the immense pressure and unpredictability of fracking operations have been known to communicate with nearby infrastructure, abandoned wells or natural/induced faults, causing propagations to travel over 1km out of the intended target zone, and likely into groundwater sources. In one case, fracking operations, communicated with an adjacent well and pump jack, spewing frack fluids up and out of a blown gasket on site.
Furthermore, if you review industry records, you can see the long list of lost circulation events, SCVFs and gas/liquid migration, failed casings, failure to return frack fluids to surface, frack fluids left in a formation, or in the case of Crew Energy, fracking right into an aquifer.
Additionally, fracking produces a staggering amount of waste, left in sumps, mixed, buried and covered on lease sites, spills and leaks on the lease site, or failed disposal wells which can all contribute to groundwater impacts.
To date, the AER has not implemented comprehensive or practical directives or regulations for the proper monitoring, testing, investigation or enforcement regarding the protection of surface and groundwater resources with respect to hydraulic fracturing operations.
Geology 101 is not relevent to the discussion.
Raymond Williams @Diana Daunheimer
Sumps have largely been replaced with buried tanks, from which the effluent is pumped out and disposed of properly.
3 hours ago
Raymond Williams @Diana Daunheimer
SCVF’s are remediated daily on numerous wells. It’s a large part of the energy service industry.
3 hours ago
Diana Daunheimer @Raymond Williams
Sump storage of wastes, followed by mix, bury, cover on lease sites is still a very common practice for unconventional wells. This is clearly evidenced by the sump sampling reports submitted to the AER for licensed wells.
Hundreds of millions of m3 of wastes are left on lease sites or spread on agricultural land each year in Alberta, including cement returns, horizontal cuttings, and drilling wastes. Frac water is generally interred in disposal wells, based on the levels of contamination with hydrocarbons, salts, heavy metals, NORMs and various additives, such as biocides, surfactants, corrosion and scale inhibititors, friction reducers, oxidizers, breakers, etc, particularly in the thousands of wells, where they have fractured wells using a base fluid of kerosene or gelled propane.
By disposed of properly, you mean landspray while drilling, or injection into a disposal well, as previously discussed, which is largely based on the level of contaminants present.
In nearly all cases, follow up testing for waste disposal methods for the industry is not required and end points are routinely estimated. Only if there is an obvious contamination event, do they require follow up testing.
Disposed of properly has different meanings for different operators, waste management companies, and unfortunatley for different AER inspectors.
2 hours ago
Diana Daunheimer @Raymond Williams
And yet, nearly 10% of all inactive wells have SCVF or GM and 7% of all active and inactive wells are leaking formation products to the environment unmitigated. For reference you can review the AER ST-60b.
The AER, and operating companies do not notify residents of well sites that are leaking on their land, and wells with SCVF or GM are not signed for the protection of workers, the public, or emergency personel.
The number could be significantly higher, as the AER has a poor record of inspection and enforcement on SCVF and GM, and currently nearly 30% of the almost 84,000 inactive wells in the province are non-compliant.
2 hours ago
Raymond Williams @Diana Daunheimer
No, by disposed of properly, waste byproducts deemed unacceptable for surface disposal are sent to facilities and treated, or, more commonly, pumped into disposal wells.
Gel-based drilling fluids are essentially a clay-based mud/slurry and pose little if any detriment to agricultural applications. In fact, they pose far fewer risks than the millions of liters of herbicides and insecticides sprayed on Canadian crops every year. Very few operations frac with propane anymore – too problematic. Most frac fluids are very expensive, and as such, are recovered and cleaned to be used again. NORMs are a bigger concern in the north & again, contaminated cuttings, ‘hot’ pipe and tubulars are collected, stored in restricted areas, or disposed of at several locations in Canada. NORM’s management falls under directives issued from the CNSC and Provincial/Territorial bodies, and energy companies are monitored to meet these directives.
I get it – you don’t like the industry. Just be thankful you live in Canada and not another country with less-restrictive rules and regulatory requirements.
1 hour ago Raymond Williams @Diana Daunheimer
It’s great, isn’t it? It keeps our crews rolling every day. In a couple of hundred years, we’ll have them all remediated.
1 hour ago Diana Daunheimer @Raymond Williams
Just as I stated. Spread on land, buried on site, or if contaminated enough, sent to dedicated waste facility or injected in disposal wells.
Landspray wastes come with risks, the reason why repeat applications are limited under D50.
Recycled fracture fluids are less than 6% of total volumes, according to the AER. Frac slurries are expensive, but it’s more so to recycle, remove the contaminants and reuse. 94% of spent frac fluids, being most, are disposed of, taking with it precious potable water.
The AER does not regualate NORMs, which are a problem in any target formation with a high TOC content. There is no testing in Alberta for NORMs in any waste disposal from unconventional extraction. So if it isn’t the AER, who monitors NORMs in Alberta? When horizontal cuttings are stored in a sump, they may well be contaminated with NORMs, but since the AER has no requirement for testing, those highly toxic, highly mobile contaminants are simply left to be buried on site.
I’m afraid you don’t get it. There are facts, then there is rhetoric, diversion and outright fabrication. I believe it is important for readers to understand the nature of operations and regulations, and I present it factually.
The AER operates as a 100% industry funded corporation, that is not an agent of the Crown, owes no duty of care to the public, have no public interest or public health mandate, and are legally immune from all their regulatory actions or inactions. Residents have no right to refuse oil and gas E&P on their land, and no right to object operations. Right of Entry will be forced upon you by the Surface Rights Board. You have no powers to protect your property, water, air or health. How is this restrictive for industry or any different from other regions?
…
Diana Daunheimer @Jasmin Garnet
Two seperate but identical incidents, which is highly curious. Both at 5:55am MST, one ENE 35 km and other 4 km SSW of Red Deer.
…
Diana Daunheimer
Earthquakes Canada
Verified account
@CANADAquakes
2h2 hours ago
More
EARTHQUAKE Mag=4.6 on 04 Mar at 05:55 MST.
Details : http://bit.ly/2GZkiHV
4 km SSW of Red Deer, AB
132 km NNE of Calgary, AB
9 replies 48 retweets 22 likes
Reply 9 Retweet 48 Like 22
Earthquakes Canada
Verified account
@CANADAquakes
3h3 hours ago
More
EARTHQUAKE Mag=4.6 on 04 Mar at 05:55 MST.
Details : http://bit.ly/2GZkiHV
35 km ENE of Red Deer, AB
127 km S of Edmonton, AB
…
Diana Daunheimer @Jasmin Garnet
Look for yourself:
https://boereport.com/well-map/
Enhance Energy:
Brine Injection well Depth 2095
Surface location: 06-02-040-24W4
UWI 103/06-02-040-24W4/00
License # 492882
Last status date 1/13/2019
Permit date: 12/20/2018
Formation Leduc
…
Diana Daunheimer @Jasmin Garnet
The event 35km ENE of Red Deer aligns with the Enhance Energy injection well location as reported by the Edmonton Jounal and on Earthquake Canada Twitter account.
You are aware that injection wells and hydraulic fraturing are known to cause induced seismic events?
Even the AER concedes to this fact. The regulator even hosts, along with the AGS, an excel spreadsheet with nearly 1000 induced events from fracking in the MD of Fox Creek, since 2013. You can view it on the AER website, Seismic Activity page.
It’s entirely plausible that this is an industry induced event and residents, landowners, municipalites and utility companies will need to prepare for increased anthropormorphic seismic events such as this, resulting from injection and fracking operations.
I expect the cause will be reported soon enough, in the meantime, let’s all be mature, respectful and engage in productive dialogue.
Regards.
…
Jon Stovell @Diana Daunheimer, it is nice to see someone conducting themselves online so courteously and informatively. Well done!
@Raymond Williams, it seems like early in this conversation you were trying to argue that Diane’s facts were simply wrong and therefore any suggestion that this earthquake might be due to industry activity should be discounted, and then later, as subsequent reporting corroborated what Diane had shared, you switched to trying to argue that the existence of many wells in the area somehow meant the idea should still be discounted. In other words, https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/special-pleading.
7 hours ago
Diana Daunheimer @Jon Stovell
Thank-you, the kind words are much appreciated.
Vesta confirms fracking activity near site of Red Deer earthquake, Central Alta. shaken by earthquake by Karyn Mulcahy, March 4, 2019, CTV News Edmonton
[ 179,253 Views as of 9 pm March 4, 2019]
A 4.6 magnitude earthquake near Sylvan Lake, Alta., Monday morning was felt by several surrounding communities.
A small earthquake was felt in Red Deer and Sylvan Lake in Alberta. CTV’s Nahremen Issa reports.
According to the government agency, the seismic activity started around 5:56 a.m. in Sylvan Lake and Red Deer.
The quake was reported at about a kilometre below the surface.
This is the largest quake ever recorded in the area. In 1984, 1997 and 2001 there were 4.0 magnitude quakes recorded.
Natural vs. induced earthquakes in Alta.
Alberta Energy Regulator confirms there were fracking activities taking place in the area this morning, but they can’t confirm that the fracking caused the quake. The fracking has since been stopped.
Dr. David Eaton is a professor of geophysics at the University of Calgary.
“It’s unusual if it’s a natural event, they don’t happen here very often,” Dr. Eaton told CTV News. “In 2001 there was one north east of Dawson Creek in B.C. a little bit bigger than this.”
“Alberta is prone to getting earthquakes related to induced events from oil production or fluid injection and so it’s entirely possible this is an induced event, and there have been a number of those in the last five or six years.”
Residents react
Residents in the area are reported feeling their houses shaking and power outages in the area.
“Just before six this morning, we were up and having our breakfast and there was a pop right as the power went off, and then the entire house shook,” Linda Borsato, a Sylvan Lake resident told CTV News.
“The first thing that my husband thought is that there was an explosion somewhere.”
Borsato said they looked out the window after the pop and couldn’t see lights on anywhere in Sylvan Lake.
Sylvan Lake Mayor Sean McIntyre says he was at home when the quake struck.
“I thought maybe someone had hit the transformer on my block or something like that and that’s why the power went out, but as I looked out the window I noticed that the power was out in my neighbourhood and as far as I could see across town.”
“It wasn’t until I started hearing reports of an earthquake that I realized that’s what it was.”
McIntyre says power was restored to most residents in the area within two hours. He says he hasn’t had any reports of injuries or damages as a result of the quake. [Emphasis added]
by Anna Junker with files from Ryan Rumboldt, March 4, 2019, Edmonton Journal
The Red Deer area in central Alberta was rattled by an earthquake Monday morning.
According to Earthquakes Canada, seismic activity was recorded at about 5:55 a.m. Monday, around 19 kilometres west of Red Deer. The 1-km deep earthquake was lightly felt in the Red Deer and Sylvan Lake regions. [Whole house shaking and knocking power out to thousands is “light?”]
Earthquakes Canada
✔
@CANADAquakes
UPDATED LOCATION EARTHQUAKE Mag=4.6 on 04 Mar at 05:55 MST.
Details : http://bit.ly/2GZkiHV
19 km W of Red Deer, AB
25
10:46 AM – Mar 4, 2019
The last 4.0 magnitude earthquake recorded in the region was on March 31, 1997.
The Alberta Energy Regulator said the earthquake was reported to them by Vesta Energy at 6:20 a.m.
“We are currently reviewing the events to determine if the incident is due to hydraulic fracturing activities or natural causes,” said Natalie Brodych, spokesperson with the Alberta Energy Regulator.
“Vesta Energy was conducting hydraulic fracturing activities in the area, but has since stopped.”
Brodych said there was no reported impacts to public safety, infrastructure, or the environment. [How many hundreds of poorly or even well cased oil and gas wells are now leaking methane, ethane and other contaminants into groundwater and the surface?]
Debbi McGillicky, who lives in the Mountain View area of Red Deer, said she and her husband were jarred awake by the quake.
“My husband and I were awakened at 5:55 a.m. when our bed began to shake violently. My husband shot up out of bed and exclaimed ‘what the hell was that?’,” she told Postmedia. At the time, she thought the quake was some sort of explosion. [But just a light one?]
The quake hit Red Deer and surrounding communities just before 6 a.m., knocking out power to around 4,600 Fortis Alberta customers. A spokesperson said the outage lasted for a little more than an hour.
AltaLink said a transformer at a substation south of Sylvan Lake tripped around the same time of the quake. The transmission company is still investigating exactly what caused the outage.
More to come.
Social media reacts to earthquake
Matt Adamowski
@MattAdamowski
Sounds like I just experienced my first earthquake in Red Deer.. thought I was in a horror movie when my room started shaking in the black of night 😅 6:07 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Blaine Calkins
✔
@blainecalkinsmp
It appears that Central Alberta has experienced an earthquake/seismic event this morning at approximately 5:56 AM. Hearing there is power out in @SylvanLake_AB, hearing from folks in Red Deer too….
6:14 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Iris Chalmers
@IrisChalmers
What the heck just happened? Our whole house shook!! Earthquake in Sylvan Lake Alberta?!#earthquake #Alberta
6
6:02 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Candice Putnam
@iamlibrarian123
Soooo an earthquake to kick off the week? And now I guess I’ll shower in the dark? 🤷♀️ #SylvanLake #Earthquake #PowerOutage
6:20 AM – Mar 4, 2019
MK Hall
@honeabeaboat
HOLY EFF… did we just have an #earthquake?? What’s going on #sylvanlake ? My bed just shook like it took quarters at a bad motel! #ineednewdrawers #shookmeouttabed #poweroutage
6:21 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Denise Jeffrey
@dcjeffrey
Well that’s one way to get shaken awake… I thought it was the wind. Cal asked what it could be since we don’t get earthquakes. Just seeing now that Sylvan Lake may be the epicentre as the whole town lost power. Earthquake? Ice quake? Frost quake? Waiting for confirmation.
6:43 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Nathan Lawrence
@NathanELawrence
Well that was one hell of an alarm clock this morning! #earthquake #SylvanLake
6:53 AM – Mar 4, 2019 · Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Jennifer Blair
@FairfieldJen
And just like that, we have power again! #earthquake #SylvanLake
7:25 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Big D Outdoors
@DwayneMihalicz
· 7h
Replying to @SlobodaVic @SylvanLake_AB
Wind? 🙏🙏
Coach Vic
@SlobodaVic
Dead calm. Power out everywhere. Scared the crap out of me. Genuinely felt like the percussion from an explosion. All my neighbors are milling about now.
6:24 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Keith Pickering
@KeithWPickering
House shakes, knocks stuff on floor, power goes off at -28. Kids are panicking … because they have no wifi #SylvanLake
6:15 AM – Mar 4, 2019
4.6-magnitude earthquake rattles homes, knocks out power in Red Deer and Sylvan Lake
by Shawn Knox with files from Ryan Rumbolt and The Canadian Press, March 4, 2019, Calgary Herald
The Red Deer area in central Alberta was rattled by an earthquake Monday morning.
Natural Resources Canada says there has been a 4.6 magnitude earthquake in central Alberta.
The federal department’s website said the tremor, which was felt in Red Deer and Sylvan Lake at about 5:55 a.m., was classified as a light earthquake.
It says the quake was about a kilometre beneath the surface, just south of Red Deer.
There were no immediate reports of damage, but power was knocked out for about 4,600 Fortis Alberta customers. A spokesperson said the outage lasted for a little more than an hour.
AltaLink said a transformer at a substation south of Sylvan Lake tripped around the same time of the quake. The transmission company is still investigating exactly what caused the outage.
The U.S. Geological Survey website says an earthquake similar to the one that struck Alberta has a sensation like a heavy truck striking a building that can rattle windows and may break some dishes or windows.
Debbi McGillicky, who lives in the Mountain View area of Red Deer, said she and her husband were jarred awake by the quake.
“My husband and I were awakened at 5:55 a.m. when our bed began to shake violently. My husband shot up out of bed and exclaimed ‘what the hell was that?’,” she told Postmedia. At the time, she thought the quake was some sort of explosion.
Earthquakes are rare for the Red Deer area; the last recorded quake was in 2016. There was a 4.0-magnitude quake on March 31, 1997.
However, Joanne Gaudet, communications officer for the town of Sylvan Lake, said there has been seismic activity in the past between Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House to the west.
The Alberta Energy Regulator said the earthquake was reported to them by Vesta Energy at 6:20 a.m.
“We are currently reviewing the events to determine if the incident is due to hydraulic fracturing activities or natural causes,” said Natalie Brodych, spokesperson with the AER. “Vesta Energy was conducting hydraulic fracturing activities in the area, but has since stopped.”
Traci Madison
@TraciVoice
Yup #SylvanLake had an #earthquake. Crazyy loud and very strange feeling your house shake. @calgaryherald
9:53 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Iris Chalmers
@IrisChalmers
What the heck just happened? Our whole house shook!! Earthquake in Sylvan Lake Alberta?!#earthquake #Alberta
6:02 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Matt Adamowski
@MattAdamowski
Sounds like I just experienced my first earthquake in Red Deer.. thought I was in a horror movie when my room started shaking in the black of night 😅
6:07 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Nathan Lawrence
@NathanELawrence
Well that was one hell of an alarm clock this morning! #earthquake #SylvanLake
6:53 AM – Mar 4, 2019 · Sylvan Lake, Alberta
Candice Putnam
@iamlibrarian123
Soooo an earthquake to kick off the week? And now I guess I’ll shower in the dark? 🤷♀️ #SylvanLake #Earthquake #PowerOutage
6:20 AM – Mar 4, 2019
Josh McDonald
@mcdonald9950
How about that earthquake eh…… felt just like the trains rolling through town #earthquake8:11 AM – Mar 4, 2019 · Wetaskiwin County No. 10, Alberta
More to come……
Magnitude-4.6 earthquake strikes near Red Deer, A rare earthquake rattled central Alberta this morning by Josh Duncan, March 4, 2019, Kelowna Now
The magnitude-4.6 tremor happened minutes before 6 a.m. MST about four kilometres southwest of Red Deer, Alta.
Earthquakes Canada
✔
@CANADAquakes
EARTHQUAKE Mag=4.6 on 04 Mar at 05:55 MST.
Details : http://bit.ly/2GZkiHV
4 km SSW of Red Deer, AB
132 km NNE of Calgary, AB
126
7:56 AM – Mar 4, 2019
According to Earthquakes Canada, the earthquake was a shallow one with a depth of just one kilometre.
There’s been no report of injuries or major damage, but FortisAlberta confirmed a power outage that’s believed to be connected to the incident.
…
Historically, this is one of the largest recorded earthquakes to ever strike Alberta.
The only stronger earthquake was a magnitude-4.8 tremor that shook Jasper, right on the British Columbia border, 38 years ago.
According to Earthquakes Canada, however, this is the largest recorded earthquake for this specific region of Alberta.
An official cause for the earthquake hasn’t been provided, but the speculation from many is that it was caused by fracking. [Emphasis added]
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