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The trending topics section provides some backgrounders on the BCER's key topics of interest.

Induced Seismicity

Seismicity refers to the geographic and historical distribution of earthquakes. Induced seismicity is a seismic event resulting from human activity, and can be caused by industries such as mining, dam impoundment and natural gas development.

Orphan Sites

Dotted throughout northeast B.C. are oil and gas industry sites - and some of them (approximately 3%) are defined as orphan sites - wells, facilities, pipelines and associated areas where an oil and gas company is declared bankrupt, or cannot be located.

Climate Change

Climate change is a global issue, requiring action from everyone—individuals, governments, environmental organizations, researchers, and industries around the world.

Methane Emissions

Methane is a colourless, odourless flammable gas that is the main component in natural gas. In oil and gas production, methane is released into the atmosphere when natural gas is incompletely combusted, vented, or leaked in a regulated process.

Hydraulic Fracturing

Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking” is a technique used to create pathways in rocks deep underground to help get natural gas flowing.

Dam Safety

Petroleum and natural gas companies store fresh and waste (produced) water using different types of in-ground and above ground storage facilities/structures such as dugouts, water reservoirs, saline ponds, c-rings and tanks, in preparation for using the stored water in their activities.

Caribou Recovery

The BC Energy Regulator supports a provincial commitment to a new long-term, comprehensive, science-based approach to protect and preserve caribou populations – the Caribou Recovery Program.
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