Island News & Views
General · 22nd October 2007
Deb
The Province is aggressively pursuing Coalbed Methane (CBM) development in Campbell River. It is promoting investment by cutting environmental protections and offering $50,000.00 per well, drilled before December 2008.
Regulation is left to the Oil and Gas Commission, (OGC) whose job is to promote CBM.
Cornerstone Gas and Hillsborough Resources, the
proponents, are now asking the Provincial Government for tenure for CBM development north west of Campbell River Airport. The wells would be located in the watersheds of Simms Creek, Willow Creek, and the Quinsam River, which flow into the Campbell River.
The company plans to drill 5 test wells for which environmental assessments and baseline data are
not required by the Oil and Gas Commission. Cornerstone Gas wishes to start this fall.
There are many folk who are alarmed by the lack of environmental protection and great risk to the Quinsam and Campbell Rivers associated with this proposed exploration.
A typical coalbed methane project involves industrialization of broad landscapes, production and disposal of massive quantities of water. The visual impacts, dust and noise from a developing project are extensive, and continuous.
Local economic benefits are dubious - a handful of local jobs, no revenue from production, devaluation of real estate and potential corruption of drinking water and arable land.
Fact: coalbed methane development requires hundreds of closely set wells.
Fact: every well requires an access road, a pipeline for water, a second pipeline for gas, and likely a power line. It is instant industrialization of the landscape.
Fact: the methane is held in coal by water pressure. To release the methane, an enormous quantity of water - often saline, sometimes toxic -must be removed and disposed of.
A copy of a report written by Leona Adams (a prime-mover in the CR environmental scene) and edited by Chuck DeSorcy and Tom Easton (stream-keepers for the willow and Simms watersheds) is attached for your information.
The Ministry of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources is scheduled to speak to CR Council on Tuesday, October 23rd beginning about 4:30 pm. This will be an open to the public Strategic Meeting in Council Chambers. Otherwise, addresses of who to contact with your concerns are found on page 11 of the Adams PDF.
LINKS
The Dogwood Initiative: http://www.dogwoodinitiative.org
BC Ministry of Energy, Mines & Petroleum Resources: http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/subwebs/coalbedgas/
Regulation is left to the Oil and Gas Commission, (OGC) whose job is to promote CBM.
Cornerstone Gas and Hillsborough Resources, the
proponents, are now asking the Provincial Government for tenure for CBM development north west of Campbell River Airport. The wells would be located in the watersheds of Simms Creek, Willow Creek, and the Quinsam River, which flow into the Campbell River.
The company plans to drill 5 test wells for which environmental assessments and baseline data are
not required by the Oil and Gas Commission. Cornerstone Gas wishes to start this fall.
There are many folk who are alarmed by the lack of environmental protection and great risk to the Quinsam and Campbell Rivers associated with this proposed exploration.
A typical coalbed methane project involves industrialization of broad landscapes, production and disposal of massive quantities of water. The visual impacts, dust and noise from a developing project are extensive, and continuous.
Local economic benefits are dubious - a handful of local jobs, no revenue from production, devaluation of real estate and potential corruption of drinking water and arable land.
Fact: coalbed methane development requires hundreds of closely set wells.
Fact: every well requires an access road, a pipeline for water, a second pipeline for gas, and likely a power line. It is instant industrialization of the landscape.
Fact: the methane is held in coal by water pressure. To release the methane, an enormous quantity of water - often saline, sometimes toxic -must be removed and disposed of.
A copy of a report written by Leona Adams (a prime-mover in the CR environmental scene) and edited by Chuck DeSorcy and Tom Easton (stream-keepers for the willow and Simms watersheds) is attached for your information.
The Ministry of Energy Mines and Petroleum Resources is scheduled to speak to CR Council on Tuesday, October 23rd beginning about 4:30 pm. This will be an open to the public Strategic Meeting in Council Chambers. Otherwise, addresses of who to contact with your concerns are found on page 11 of the Adams PDF.
LINKS
The Dogwood Initiative: http://www.dogwoodinitiative.org
BC Ministry of Energy, Mines & Petroleum Resources: http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/subwebs/coalbedgas/
Adams Report on the proposed CR development (CBM_Facts_Report.pdf)