CatatonicMan t1_jdkrzb0 wrote on March 25, 2023 at 2:45 AM Reply to comment by a_common_spring in The largest recorded earthquake in Alberta's history was not a natural event, but most likely caused by disposal of oilsands wastewater, new research has concluded. by GeoGeoGeoGeo Less wild than you're probably imagining. It's more akin to lubrication, really. The potential energy for the quake was already built up; the injected liquid just gets things moving. It's roughly analogous to a match starting a forest fire or a yell causing an avalanche. Permalink Parent 18
CatatonicMan t1_jdkrzb0 wrote
Reply to comment by a_common_spring in The largest recorded earthquake in Alberta's history was not a natural event, but most likely caused by disposal of oilsands wastewater, new research has concluded. by GeoGeoGeoGeo
Less wild than you're probably imagining.
It's more akin to lubrication, really. The potential energy for the quake was already built up; the injected liquid just gets things moving.
It's roughly analogous to a match starting a forest fire or a yell causing an avalanche.