MAYNE ISLAND INTEGRATED
WATER SYSTEMS SOCIETY
WATER ACROSS THE ISLANDS
Well Hydrofracturing: A topic for thought and discussion
The practice of hydrofracturing of wells
in an attempt to increase production is on the increase.
Demands upon our aquifers are growing each year to keep
up with land development and tourism on our Islands.
Hydrofracturing originated in the oil drilling
business, and its popularity in the water well drilling
industry has grown over the past few years. When a drilled
well is hydrofractured, high pressure water is injected
through a pipe to expand, clear, or fracture the fissures
with the expectation that well production will increase.
For domestic well purposes, usually a single
packer method is used. The packer is a hard rubber inflatable
balloon placed near the top of the well but below the
casing. High pressure water is pumped through the packer
from 5 to 45 minutes at a rate of 25 to 60 gpm, pumping
up to 1600 gallons of water into the formation. This technique
is viable for bedrock formations.
Years ago, well yields were increased by
using dynamite, called shot firing, or dry ice. Both methods
were relatively uncontrollable for exerted pressures,
and shot firing caused many wells to collapse, breaking
the surface seal and allowing surface water to enter the
well.
Today’s concerns about Hydrofracturing
Hydrofracturing has fallen through the legislative
crack. There are no requirements for distances from the
ocean or neighbouring wells, no required notification
of, recording with, or permission from any Ministry. There
is no required notification of neighbours or community
water purveyors, well sitings or recording of their well
data. If flow is redirected or increased, the subject
well may benefit, but the neighbouring well may have reduced
or no production, or a higher salinity count.
The danger of opening up an aquifer to salt
water intrusion and possibly ruining the aquifer upon
which an individual or an entire community may depend,
makes hydrofracturing a questionable practice that must
be looked at by the Ministry of Environment and it’s
Water Advisory Panel.
The vagaries of the results and the inability
to determine the sphere of influence create a danger for
our islands’ supply of potable water, particularly
as our aquifers deplete during prolonged summer droughts
and the sodium content naturally increase in many wells.
Hydrofracturing exacerbates the possibility of aquifer
damage.
The risk factor is well recognized by the
well drilling industry in that some drillers require a
signed release by the owner before they will hydrofracture.
While the owner of the damaged well may take the driller,
or new well owner to court to recover damage costs, unless
one has very detailed and well kept records of his/her
well spanning years of production, with quality, quantity,
and production details, they have no paper trail to prove
hydrofracturing harm. This reduces the chances of a successful
lawsuit.
Call for legislation
In replying to the concerns expressed by
the Mayne Island Integrated Water Systems Society, the
Ministry of Environment stated that the letter had been
forwarded to the Water Advisory Panel. The WAP provides
guidance on government groundwater policy for new legislation
and are currently working on Phase 2 and 3 of changes
to the Groundwater Regulations.
It would appear, at this time, that the
possibility of the government recognizing the special
circumstances for water issues facing the Gulf Islands
is remote. Phase 2 legislation recommendations are expected
to be in government hands this year, but will not address
these concerns. To have hydrofracturing considered under
Phase 3, the Gulf Islands would need to be considered
to have high risk aquifers. It will be up to the islands
to make their wishes known during the Phase 3 community
stakeholder consultation process. Since governments have
recognized the uniqueness of the Islands by forming the
Islands Trust method of governance, they must also recognize
the fact that sustainability of natural resources necessary
to sustain island life will require attention, set apart
from the studies done on mainland groundwater and water
reserves. The islands must make it a recognized fact that
pilot projects conducted at inland locations, such as
those currently being done in Langley Township, bear little
relevance to small rock islands surrounded by salt water.
An Action Plan
An ideal and simple solution would be the
banning of hydrofracturing on the Gulf Islands, but this
is not likely to happen. Therefore, the following would
be practical solutions which would add some measure of
protection for our aquifers.
