The threat of fracking has raised concerns about its impact on water in almost every province across Canada. As described by Environmental Leader news, “the hydraulic fracturing process involves taking water from the ground, pumping fracturing fluids and sands into the wells under pressure, then separating and managing the leftover water after withdrawing the (unconventional shale) gas.”
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Major activity is planned for the Horn River Formation, which is in north-eastern British Columbia extending to Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories. The Tyee.ca reports, “The Horn River play is being heavily developed in concert with incentive programs offered by the province, and with more than 600 trillion cubic feet of gas in place, is considered one of the top gas reserves in North America.” Corporations in the Horn River Basin include Encana, Apache, EOG, Stone Mountain Resources, Exxon, Quicksilver Resources, Nexen and Devon Energy. Six areas in BC also hold coalbed methane natural gas potential: Peace country in the north east, Elk Valley in the southeast, Vancouver Island, the south central interior (around Merritt and Princeton), northwestern BC (around Telkwa and Iskut), and the Queen Charlotte Islands. More at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4443.
ALBERTA, SASKATCHEWAN: The Globe and Mail reported in October that, “In Canada, companies like Talisman, Encana Corp., and U.S-based Apache Corp. are planning massive investment in northeastern B.C. and western Alberta, notably in the prolific Horn River and Montney plays. As well, the industry is applying the drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques to other oil and unconventional gas fields in Alberta and Saskatchewan.” This presumably includes the Bakken natural gas field in southern Saskatchewan. It has been reported that Saskatchewan has been courting the industry with lax or no environmental regulations and promises of low royalties charged to the companies. More at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4950.
MANITOBA: The Petroleum Services Association of Canada is predicting 300 new well will be drilled in Manitoba. More on that (as well as on fracking projects in the other provinces noted above) at http://www.greenmuze.com/climate/energy/2562-ugly-reality-of-fracking.html.
ONTARIO: The Toronto Star reported in March that Calgary-based Mooncor Oil & Gas Corp. has been buying land rights in southwestern Ontario for shale gas drilling. Mooncor intends to drill in the Kettle Point Formation known as Antrim Shale in Lambton and Kent counties, and the Collingwood/Blue Mountain formations known as Utica Shale. “It has already locked up nearly 23,000 acres (9.30776 hectares) of land in Lambton and Kent counties.” More at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=3144 and http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=3090. The Council of Canadians recently participated in Ontario Energy Board consultation on the issue, more at http://canadians.org/energyblog/?p=320.
QUEBEC: The Globe and Mail reported in August that, “Thousands of metres beneath Quebec’s fertile and heavily populated St. Lawrence River valley, geologists believe up to 50 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves may be locked in hard shale. The rough preliminary estimate would place the field on a short list of the largest of its kind in Canada.” The Montreal Gazette adds, “Before Quebec has even drafted its first oil-and-gas law to regulate the industry, exploration companies have obtained 600 permits and are drilling a half dozen wells to test the viability of Quebec’s gas reserves.” There has been large-scale public opposition to fracking in Quebec, with a recent poll reporting that, “more than three-quarters of Quebecers want the province to stop shale gas exploration until environmental impact studies are completed.” The Montreal chapter recently organized a public forum on fracking, and the national organization has just signed on to a statement calling for a fracking moratorium in Quebec. More at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4975, http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4921 and http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4622.
NEW BRUNSWICK: In late March, it was reported that US-owned Apache Canada Ltd. and Halifax-based Corridor Resources Inc. will begin drilling and exploration work for natural gas in the Elgin area of southern New Brunswick in June. This natural gas in the Frederick Brook formation will require hydraulic fracturing – or ‘fracking’ – to access. The Sackville Tribune Post reported in August that, “(In July, Sackville) councillors voted to deny Petroworth Resources Inc. exploration rights to conduct seismic testing on any town-owned land within the Sackville Basin area. The councillors who voted against the testing cited a lack of policies regulating the onshore gas and oil development industry in the province as the reasoning behind their decision, as well as the potential environmental consequences that could result from the drilling process if gas is found.” More at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=3160 and http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4396.
NOVA SCOTIA: The CBC reported in September that, “Some people in Cape Breton’s Inverness County are gearing up to fight oil and gas exploration in the area by Toronto-based PetroWorth Resources Inc. The company hopes to drill for oil on land in West Lake Ainslie in November, but some residents fear that could seriously harm the local environment.” The Council of Canadians Inverness chapter has led this campaign to protect Lake Ainslie from fracking. More at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4956, http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4933, http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4749, and http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=4518.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND: Though the nature of the project is unclear at this point, a recent Petroworth media release says the company, “is currently shooting a single 14-kilometre Vibroseis seismic line on its PEI property. Based on the interpretation of a previously shot 2-D seismic line, PetroWorth has identified a large and potentially attractive feature called the Albion Cross Prospect.” More at http://finance.yahoo.com/news/PetroWorth-Update-on-ccn-886538440.html?x=0&.v=1.
NEWFOUNDLAND: The Western Star reported in September that, “On the Port au Port Peninsula, Canadian Imperial Venture Corp. are going to drill on onshore-to-offshore well to look at the potential for oil and shale play this fall. Larry Hicks, manager of petroleum geoscience-geology with the Department of Natural Resources, also highlighted the activity of Deer Lake oil and gas in the Deer Lake Basin over the last number of years, specifically its work on shale gas play.” More on that at http://www.thewesternstar.com/Business/Natural-resources/2010-09-24/article-1789280/Oil-and-gas-activity-ongoing-in-western-Newfoundland/1.
For more on the impact of fracking on water in Canada, please go to http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/mvk/2010/10/dont-frack-our-water. A recent University of Toronto report on fracking stated, “To date, Canada has not developed adequate regulations or public policy to address the scale or cumulative impact of hydraulic fracking on water resources. …(Without a more robust regulatory approach) rapid shale gas development could potentially threaten important water resources, if not fracture the country’s water security.” Environment minister Jim Prentice said last week that federal regulations are still being drawn up.
