A recent report on shale gas extraction by the Council of Canadian Academies has found that “more research and information is needed on the potential environmental impacts that could result from this process (in Canada)”.
The report was commissioned by Environment Canada, conducted by a panel of 14 international experts through the council.
“(This report) totally verifies and validates everything our group has been saying for the last four years,” said Dan Thomas, a Lochend area resident who has been vocal about his concerns over hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) processes in and around the Lochend area.
Thomas is also a member of the anti-fracking coalition, Cochrane Area Under Siege (CAUS), which is made up of a number of Lochend area residents concerned with current hydraulic fracking practices employed in the area — namely, the lack of risk assessments surrounding the practise.
“There is a huge amount of uncertainty as to how this technology impacts the entire ecological system,” explained Thomas, a retired 30-year engineer in the oil and gas sector, who spent the bulk of his career overseas.
The Lochend Industry Producer’s Group (LIPG) represents the primary four groups that extract oil in the Lochend area.
The four companies that make up the LIPG are Pengrowth Energy, Lightstream Resources, Tamarack Valley Energy and TriOil Resources.
Larry Stewart, LIPG chair, maintains that the groups:
“…are constantly striving to improve our operational practices. Since drilling began in Lochend, we have eliminated all open flame flaring for solution gas. Now, highly efficient incinerators are used to burn solution gas, thereby, reducing our air emissions significantly. We have installed more than 100 km of gas pipelines and we are now capturing about 95 per cent of all gas produced with the oil.”
Stewart said that industry activity in the Lochend area is focused on the development of an oil reservoir in the Cardium formation, around 2,200 metres deep.
“There are significant differences between shale gas and oil extraction, including the large number of wells required for gas, the depth of the formations, the additives used in hydraulic fracturing and the size of the hydraulic fracturing operations.”
Stewart added that ‘anti-fracking’ groups represent a “very small, vocal minority” and that the oil and gas industry is constantly striving to seek better solutions and lessen their environmental impact, while consulting with area residents and land owners.
“This isn’t good for the industry,” said Thomas, referring to the uncertainty surrounding the regulations.
Stewart said that the LIPG is currently working with opponents and Alberta Health Services to develop a framework for an air monitoring study in the Lochend area.
LIPG member companies have also agreed to test water wells within 400m of a well site for quality and quantity, according to Stewart.
Thomas said area residents have spent in excess of $25,000 to date for baseline water testing, and concerns over water and air quality in the area with relation to hydraulic fracking remain.
Those interested in learning more about the LIPG can visit lipg.com.
