Alberta water : Lawsuit

[FishingMOM]

Is there a problem with our (well) tap water in this province?
Are there areas where one can't drink the water because of the Oil and Gas companies are contaminating it?
What would cause a build up of methane in a well?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/canew...-25584883.html

[tbiddy]

Think it has to do with these threads:

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...hlight=methane

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...hlight=methane

[Fisherpeak]

Frackin`,just too damn much frackin` going on over there.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by Fisherpeak

Frackin`,just too damn much frackin` going on over there.

Frac'n has ZERO to do with it...............

[WCTHEMI]

[FCLightning]

FRAK!!

Are we allowed to say that on here?

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by FishingMOM

Is there a problem with our (well) tap water in this province?
Are there areas where one can't drink the water because of the Oil and Gas companies are contaminating it?
What would cause a build up of methane in a well?

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/canew...-25584883.html

We don't speak of these things in Alberta, just trust the gov. it's all right.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

We don't speak of these things in Alberta, just trust the gov. it's all right.

you know what's wrong here????... a bunch of people posting here about what they "heard" from the media....do a little research on what you're talking about and it may be taken a little more seriously......very tiring......

[nick0danger]

water at the farm went sour long before facking was even thought of.

[Grizzled]

Originally Posted by hal53

you know what's wrong here????... a bunch of people posting here about what they "heard" from the media....do a little research on what you're talking about and it may be taken a little more seriously......very tiring......

Seems like some people post for the sake of posting...the need to be seen or something..I to grow tired of reading some version of the news every day as well...

[KegRiver]

Methane is present in places where there has been no oil exploration or development.

In the farming district where I was raised for instance.
Even before oil was discovered in Alberta one could dig down anywhere on our farm and hit methane gas less then a hundred feet down.

When my dad come into this country in 1923 there was a natural gas flair on the banks of the Peace River. He described the area as covered in mineral deposits. This flair had been there long before my dad saw it, and it's still there today.
A few years back there was a company that conducted river tours down to that flare, from the town of Peace River. I don't know if they are still doing that or not.

Anyway. The point is, just because one has methane in their well does not necessarily mean some oil company is responsible.

There may be rare instances where it has happened. I don't know about that. But I don't believe it happens enough for me to get concerned about it.

[FishingMOM]

1. methane wasnt an issue on the family farm back east.
2. methane wasnt an issue at the house back east.
3. I am not in oil or gas. So I have no idea about these items.
I openly asked because I don't know and I have little to no knowledge about this, and expected there would be a few guys who would know more than I.

[Sakoman]

What Hal said, this is getting old........

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by FishingMOM

What would cause a build up of methane in a well?

nature. methane in wells makes alberta a prosperous place.

[orionab1]

Of course as stated above this is getting old. Old enough that the oil companies have found a way to protect you, the land owner and themselves from having to improve/redrill your well. As a landowner you have the right to request that the oil company does a pre drill water test on your well. This sets a baseline. Then after completion they will send the third party tester back to test it again. The place where this gets real interesting is if the well in question is on adjacent land. The company is supposed to give notice to the residents but sometimes that notice includes clipping a paper to your county road sign or in the case of others, no notice at all. I am not an oil guy but I think most of these wells that are being completed (read frac'ed) are below 2000 feet. I have yet to find a farmer with a well that deep.

[Cattle Dog]

Not another rehash of bitching and complaining; most flammable gas in water is naturally occuring; and has been the case since before they even invented the work 'fraccing'.

wonder if alberta girl and her husband are still cashing oil & gas paychecks, while bitching and complaining about oil & gas companies.

Reminds me about "global warming" the last couple years
(in fact: cold winters, lots of snow, and cold spring seasons)

[tbiddy]

Originally Posted by orionab1

Of course as stated above this is getting old. Old enough that the oil companies have found a way to protect you, the land owner and themselves from having to improve/redrill your well. As a landowner you have the right to request that the oil company does a pre drill water test on your well. This sets a baseline. Then after completion they will send the third party tester back to test it again. The place where this gets real interesting is if the well in question is on adjacent land. The company is supposed to give notice to the residents but sometimes that notice includes clipping a paper to your county road sign or in the case of others, no notice at all. I am not an oil guy but I think most of these wells that are being completed (read frac'ed) are below 2000 feet. I have yet to find a farmer with a well that deep.

Yup just did a pre drill water well test today and doing one tomorrow before the rig moves in. Basically we will do any water well testing within 500m of well center. If a landowner is outside of the 500m circle we will do a water well test if requested.

[KegRiver]

To answer your original question fishingmom.

I don't believe there is a problem with oil companies contaminating well water.
That's not to say it never happens. I suppose it is possible.

But the story you linked does nothing to suggest it happens other then to publish one woman's opinion that it happened to her. And it is opinion.

As I said in my other response, methane in wells is nothing new, it happens in places where there has been no oil and gas activity.

Back in the 1980s CBC did a TV newscast on methane gas in water wells in the Redwater district. As I recall, in that story they indicated that a great number of wells in the district contained methane gas, some had enough gas for it to be a fire hazard.

Many years ago I worked for a water well drilling company down in Wetaskiwin. In the winter we did Seismic and in the summer we did water well drilling and maintenance.

From time to time we encountered methane in water wells. In every case we dealt with, the gas was coming from Coal deposits near the well and in only one case was there oil or gas activity in the area.

On the seismic end we were sometimes accused of causing contamination of water wells or the silting off or collapse of wells.

Our blasting operations were not allowed to be closer then 100 meters from any water well. But due to the complaints the government ordered tests to be done. We got the contract to do the drilling and blasting.
It was found that even with double the charge, set 10 feet from the well, we could not detect any change in water quality and none of the wells we tested collapsed.
Remember, the tests were done by the government. We only drilled the blast holes and loaded the charges the government requested. They did all the rest. They chose the well, the size of the charges, the distance from the wells and they did the well and water tests.

This was not a oil company cover-up.

Yes it might happen. Oil and gas activity might in theory effect water wells. It is possible. But it is highly unlikely. It is far more likely that the gas is naturally occurring.
And it is most certainly is not something that the rest of us need be concerned about happening to us.

[RussellZ]

The well out at the farm near Stettler has always produced tons of methane. The sinks spit and sputter all the time. There is no gas recovery going on within a couple kilometers of the house, though we do have a few wells on our land that were frac'd. The water is still fit for drinking despite a strong iron taste. We cook with it, clean dishes, shower in it etc, but usually drink water we bring in from the city just cause of the taste.

[mulecrazy]

From my understanding there is an issue in the states with this happening. It is apparently due to the oil companies not using surface casing when the drill as it is not required by their government.

I work for a major oil company and we were given a bit of a presentation on the coal bed methane we were producing in colorado. They said that for the first 9-12 months pretty much all they get from the well is water, after that the methane starts to take over. Is it not possible that with all the wells out there the same sort of thing is happening there?

[Alberta Girl]

[QUOTE=orionab1;975942]Of course as stated above this is getting old./QUOTE]

I agree, I am done discussing this and the courts will decide what will happen in this particular case. Which is what this is, a particular case.

Keep in mind, methane is NOT the issue. I have methane in my well as lots of people do. Methane flashes off very quickly from the tap water so you really don't get much of it on you for showering, watering animals, etc.

Methane gas does not give you chemical burns in the shower or cause your animals to lose hair and internally bleed to death. Drilling chemicals were found in this particular case, which happened in 2004 in my area, the same area in which the lady is suing.

So, we will see what happens.

[Alberta Girl]

Originally Posted by Cattle Dog

wonder if alberta girl and her husband are still cashing oil & gas paychecks, while bitching and complaining about oil & gas companies.

You know, I enjoy drinking beer, Friday night, long week, out by the firepit. I do NOT agree with some a**hole drinking all night at a bar and driving home killing some family. That does not mean I don't still enjoy my beer.

Same as, I work in the industry, use gas in my car, home, etc. That does NOT mean I agree with a particular oil company not following the law and potentially endangering the lives of the people living there.

It's all about accoutability for your actions, personal or business and I don't care what business it is.

I do not HATE all oil companies and do not go around basing ALL of them.

When something goes wrong, they should do the right thing.

I am only answering this as it was a personal attack on me, not really dignifying a response but thought I would anyways.

[KegRiver]

Good to hear your side of the story alberta girl.

Maybe I'm a bit naive. I worked seismic and water wells, not oil and gas wells.
I am not familiar with any chemicals used in drilling. We didn't use any.

If you don't mind me asking, what chemicals were found in the well ?

I understand this is before the courts and if relieving any such information would jeopardize the case I wouldn't want that. I'm just curious.

[Okotokian]

Lot of unsubstantiate rumours. That said, no, I'm not taking a drink out of the Sheep just downstream of the abandoned Turner Valley gas plant. LOL