Northern Alberta residents raise concerns about proposed drilling under lake, “If they punch through any aquifer connections – which are largely unknown, we’re toast.” by Corrina Dickens, Feb 11, 2025, Rocky Mountain Outlook
The Crane Lake Advisory & Stewardship Society (CLASS) and the local landowners are raising concerns over Gear Energy’s oil drilling project under Crane Lake and says it will be proposing a public meeting.
Residents are also hoping to meet with Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr regarding horizontal drilling under Crane Lake.
“Taxpaying Residents, farmers and acreage owners are very concerned about the proposed drilling under Crane Lake. Gear Energy failed to communicate with all the landowners within the effected area [1.5 kms] as is required by AER directive #56. There has been little communication, only a very small number of people have been notified of it,” according to information received from CLASS.
Jason Kaluski, vice president of operations for Gear Energy, says they are aware of the concerns and are willing to work to address them.
“The company is aware of the concerns raised by some property owners on Crane Lake regarding our current drilling activity in the area,” said Kaluski. “The company is responding to the statements of concern and intends to work together with the property owners and the AER (Alberta Energy Regulator) to address them.” 
Translation: Fuck You.
A spokesperson with CLASS, who requested anonymity, explained the many lakes in the area are connected via basin sharing and fed by the same aquifers. There is also a large amount of ground water along a fault line that runs east between Tucker Lake and Crane Lake with strong hydrological pressure, which the group believes means that the natural water balance could be compromised, and that drawdown could occur within the lake basin.
They believe there is evidence if this occurring within the Beaver River Watershed Basin at other lakes.
“If they punch through any aquifer connections – which are largely unknown, we’re toast. There have been many casing failures and flooding in the Beaver River Basin, I know that for a fact,” said the representative.
“These casing failures happen regularly, and in fact the whole northwestern corner of Ethel Lake has been totally contaminated. They bought out landowners there years ago.”
MD of Bonnyville Coun. Dana Swigart has been following the issue, and explained the MD has no jurisdiction over where oil companies drill.
“I wish these oil companies had to meet with the MD. We only find out when they apply to use our roads,” said Swigart.
Swigart feels that Crane Lake is one of the most pristine lakes in the MD and says anyone who is concerned about the oil drilling can write a letter of concern to the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER).
Regarding sending letters of concern to the AER, the CLASS representative explained that the letters must explain the direct or inverse impact the oil drilling will have on the person submitting the letter of concern.
Kaluski says the company is following all necessary requirements.Which are guaranteed to contaminate the aquifers.
“The company is committed to responsible oil and gas development and has diligently satisfied all the requirements under the Alberta Energy Regulator, which outlines energy development rules for oil and gas activity in Alberta. These requirements include environmental and water act assessments, as well as preconstruction wildlife sweeps,”Warning! When companies, politicians and regulators promise they are committed to doing something, you can be assured they will not do it. Committing to is just another escape hatch, especially in frac’d to hell Alberta. And if the company conducted accurate honest appropriate assessments, no way in Hell would they frac under or near Cane lake or any lake said Kaluski.
The CLASS representative spoke about the rare plants and a unique geological formation on Crane Lake that falls into a Protected Natural Status area, which is provincially recognized. When it comes to rape of Alberta and our water by oil, gas, bitumen and frac’ers, protected areas are frac’able. Companies do what they want, and AER facilitates their crimes.
“For individual oil well drilling and extraction, there is no requirement for Pre-Disturbance Assessments, Environmentally Sensitive Areas assessments, nor an Environmental Impact Assessment, which gathers all the impacts of oil developments such as this. Road dust, increased noise levels, fish and wildlife disturbances, extra vehicle traffic, are just some of the disturbances associated with oil development,” said the CLASS representative.
Class has recently heard that other new oil developments are also proposed to go ahead in the south side of Crane Lake by three or four other companies between 2026 and 2029. All are within 1.5 kms of the lake and area residents, and some wells are also horizontal drilling under Crane Lake. The cumulative impacts from multiple oil developments all within a close geographical area – in very close proximity to Crane Lake will be extreme, believes the CLASS representative.
Frac’ers frac you again and again and again and again, and then, they refrac you again and again and again and again, even if they contaminate your drinking water on the first fracs, they keep relentlessly frac’ing you, and AER and Alberta gov’t gleefully let them. The only way to protect communities, and water, is to prevent frac’ers from starting. No matter who the company is, or what they promise, they fail to keep their promises. Keep them out!
A similar project was proposed in the early 2000’s by a different company, and the community objected to it at that time as well, according to the CLASS representative. They ultimately decided not to drill under the lake.
Refer also to:
2015: Excellent letter! Fighting fracking under Swan Lake, British Columbia
Dear Editor.
Yes, fracturing of bed rock for natural gas recovery has been going on for years. The difference in modern day hydraulic fracturing is the massive pressure used by hydraulically pumping water and chemicals into the bed rock to release pockets of natural gas.
For almost one year now, Swan Lake Enhancement Society (SLES) has been in a “David & Goliath” fight to stop drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) under Swan Lake. The B.C. government released the drilling rights under Swan Lake and treats it all as if this is just another parcel out in the ‘moose pasture,’ with no regard to the sensitivity of the area or the environmental consequences to the lake should some mishap occur. We know that mishaps in the oil patch do occur whether they are a result of human error, mechanical problems, or undetected underground faults or formations that lead to contamination problems. We also know that fracking is in fact, causing multiple tremors and downright earth quakes in Northeast B.C.
Why is all this happening? Well, it is the obsession to cash in at all costs, the Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) dream of B.C. becoming the wealthiest province in Canada, and a cash cow for the oil and gas companies. So after months of researching, letter writing, making submissions, circulating a petition among lake users, meeting with BC OGC, Encana, and our MLA, explaining the need for common sense, we find ourselves no further ahead. We are much smarter about all the consequences of modern day fracking, but have been unable to influence those in power. Instead, we have been told again and again “there is no risk to the lake.” How can our MLA, the BC OGC, Encana, CAPP, and various ministers, say that in good conscience, when we so often hear of unintended mishaps occurring in the oil and gas industry, not to mention the mishaps that never get reported.
SLES’s mission is to promote good stewardship on the lake and its water shed. In no stretch of one’s imagination, does drilling and fracking under Swan Lake sound like good stewardship.
SLES is proud of the position we took against this insanity of drilling and fracking under Swan Lake, but have to admit we are running out of steam trying to stop it. SLES is very appreciative of the PRRD, the Bear Lake Indian Band, the Moberly Lake Community Assoc., Pouce Coupe Village Council, Ducks Unlimited, and all others who in one way or another expressed their concerns and offered support. Thanks to our MLA for fulfilling his obligation by taking our concerns and petition to a government that is pumping billions of dollars in incentives, to encourage hydraulic fracturing for LNG production.
SLES appreciated the meetings with BC OGC and Encana. It gave us the opportunity to voice our concerns and learn of the comprehensive regulatory system in place. SLES was very disappointed when Dawson Creek city council arbitrarily cancelled our delegation to attend city council meeting on July 20. City Council missed an opportunity to become informed of the concerns many people and groups in the Peace have about drilling and fracking under Swan Lake. It should not have to be said, but Swan Lake is a very important natural resource in its self, to the people of Dawson Creek. City Council could have at least discussed the issue and taken a democratically arrived at position to support SLES, or not.
SLES has given this issue our best shot! It is now up to the people of the Peace to speak your minds. Just remember, Encana (and Murphy Oil) is only doing what Victoria allows them to do. To Victoria, this is just another parcel of drilling rights that will help fulfill the LNG dream.
SLES remains convinced that in spite of all the regulations and monitoring systems available, there still is no guarantee that accidents will not happen. To confuse the issue, Encana has expressed a desire to join SLES in future Swan Lake water shed stewardship projects.It’s called “Synergy Alberta”The best stewardship project Encana could offer this community is not to drill and frack under Swan Lake.
2013: In famous flaming water case, regulator to argue ‘no duty of care’ to landowners or groundwater
2013: Drilling plan concerns at Crane Lake, Alberta
Cottagers fear pristine ‘piece of paradise’ at risk from junior firm’s drilling plan.
2012: No to Crane Lake oil extraction
To the Editor:
While residents and campers at Crane Lake are soaking up the pristine setting of untouched boreal forest, crystal clear water, and the trill of our namesake bird this summer, we’re also plotting a battle. Recently, we learned that Birchwood Resources, a junior oil company based out of Calgary with no other developments to its name, is planning to build a steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) plant to extract oil a mere 300 meters from our shoreline.
This winter, unbeknownst to us, the company quietly received approval with no public consultation from the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) to build three test wells, one of which is already in production. We still have time to stop the plant, which will spew a host of toxic chemicals into the air, threaten the wildlife by cutting a large swath through the ecosystem, and potentially change the temperature of the lake, which would decrease dissolved oxygen levels, increase bacteria, and cause the water to become overrun with algae. On top of these concerns looms the troubling fact that there have been two major spills in less than a month in Alberta. This nascent company would not have the resources to handle a catastrophe on our lakefront.
We are not anti-development; many of us work in the oil industry. We simply believe preserving one of the cleanest lakes remaining in Northern Alberta is worth more than any amount of profit. We hope the Alberta Government will help us preserve our beloved slice of this province and decline Birchwood’s application.
Alyssa Noel,
Crane Lake/Sherwood Park
A proportion (25% to 100%) of the water used in hydraulic fracturing is not recovered, and consequently this water is lost permanently to re-use, which differs from some other water uses in which water can be recovered and processed for re-use.