Northback and corrupt Alberta Energy Regulator conspire to spew drilling waste water into Westslope Cutthroat habitat

Australian swagman had promised to confine drilling waste in sumps; now perfidious AER says its just fine to dump the contaminated water directly into drainages of Gold and Blairmore Creeks

Lorne Fitch, P. Biol.

Public disclosure of a speedy approval from the AER to Northback to dispose of drilling fluids from their Grassy Mountain coal exploration program on public land has raised many questions. Not the least of which is the evident collusion between Northback and the AER to deceive the public.

In their coal exploration application to the AER this is what Northback said they were prepared to do with drilling fluids:

3.2.4 Procedure to be used to Contain and Dispose of Drilling Fluids and Cuttings

Each drill pad will have up to three appropriately sized sumps (3x3x1 m) to manage water used in drilling. Sumps will typically be built with three levels to allow drill cuttings to settle out of the solution. Additionally, sump walls will be sloped to ensure easy egress for safety concerns. Northback is proposes to dispose excess cuttings back into the drilled hole during hole abandonment. If required, excess drill cuttings will be buried on site using the mix-cover-bury method by mixing the cuttings and subsoil in the sump area and covering. Excess drilling water will be contained in the sump during the drilling and the remaining contained water will infiltrate after a hole is drilled and abandoned.

There is nothing in Northback’s application suggesting they would dispose of “clear fluids” in other areas, nor was it brought up for review by the AER during a recent hearing.

Releasing drilling fluids in a number of areas, contrary to their stated objective articulated in their coal exploration application is a major deviation. For the AER to approve of this without any substantial questions and information requirements is an abrogation of responsibility of the regulator.

At the very least, these are the questions and supplementary information that should have been requested of Northback before any decision was made to allow the disposal of drilling fluid in ways other than what was provided in the coal exploration application.

1. How were disposal sites for “clear fluids” determined?

2. Were appropriate buffers assessed in relation to other surface waters?

3. If disposal on frozen ground is to occur are the buffers sufficient?

4. Would infiltration of drilling fluids cause an issue with ground water?

5. Was water quality analysis requested to determine any potential implications for such disposal?

6. Based on the water quality analysis, what steps are required to determine the risk of disposal of drilling fluids and any subsequent approval?

7. Is there a requirement to alert downstream water users of drilling fluid disposal and when should this occur?

A final question relates to how the AER considers the public interest in matters such as this, especially related to issues of a potential risk to water quality. It seems evident from the speedy approval and the lack of any responsible scrutiny of this request for drilling fluid disposal that the public interest is subservient to the interests of Northback.

Lorne Fitch is a Professional Biologist, a retired Fish and Wildlife Biologist, and a past Adjunct Professor with the University of Calgary. He is the author of Streams of Consequence, Travels Up the Creek, and Conservation Confidential.

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