Can franking cause earthquakes?

I AM a Southern Highlander, born in the 1960s in Ialibu and to the best of my recollection do not recall any major earthquake such as the one that occurred at 3.48am on Monday.
Papua New Guinea is located on the area termed the “Ring of Fire” where we are subjected to volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tectonic activity at any time.
That is accepted, but the recent happening in Hela and Southern Highlands seem strange and raise questions as to what elsemay have contributed this major event.
The earthquake was centred on two provinces hosting rich oil and gas development sites, and in my opinion extraction activities, depending on what they were, could have a contributing factor.
Drilling into the depth of the earth until it hits the layer containing oil and gas, then pumping high pressure “waste water” vertically to break the bedrock rocks (a technic termed franking) to release the oil and gas can have a destabilising effect on natural formations.
The pressure built by the water underground can cause upward pressure and can result in some form of seismic activity.
In the media, we heard that black oil seeped and flowed into Mapele River in Ialibu, Southern Highlands, and the Nebliyer River, Western Highlands, which are far away from the oil fields of Lake Kutubu, SHP and the gas fields in Hela.
I therefore negate the “Rim of Fire” explanation and hold the assumption the extraction operations could have had a contributing factor, especially if franking was used.
This earthquake is now a lesson that as custodians of our natural resources, we must be informed and be made aware of during the initial negotiating stages of any development proposals, of the likely positive and negative impacts of the extraction techniques proposed so that we can be better prepared.

Kelly Matoli
Southern Highlands