Corridor Resources pushing fracking on New Brunswick; Says will address some (not all?) conditions that must be met before gov't lifts frac ban | Ernst v. EnCana CorporationErnst v. EnCana Corporation

Corridor Resources taking lead on reinstating fracking in N.B. by Jeremy Keefe, October 14, 2016, Global News

WATCH ABOVE: Earlier this year the New Brunswick government announced they would uphold the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing instituted in 2014. Now a major oil and gas player is taking the reins on addressing some of the government’s conditions for reinstating the practice. Global’s Jeremy Keefe has more.

Corridor Resources Incorporated say they plan on taking the lead in getting fracking reinstated in the province of New Brunswick.

Corridor Resources was forced to shelve their plans for shale gas development in the province when the government instituted a ban on fracking in 2014. It was announced in May the ban would remain in place indefinitely.

“We’re the biggest player in the province in terms of natural gas producers, certainly have the largest interest to remove the moratorium of any oil and gas company in the province,” said Steve Moran, Corridor’s CEO.

“So we’ve decided to take the initiative.”

Moran believes demonstrating that fracking can be done safely while mitigating risks isn’t too tall of an order for his company, and the work they do should give the government and residents peace of mind.

Of the five main conditions that came out of the Select Committee on Hydraulic Fracturing’s February report, two were in respect to concerns over the treatment and disposal of frack wastewater.

“There’s only two wastewater facilities in the province that could handle it,” explained Energy and Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet. “At this point in time they’ve declined, they’re not interested in accepting it.”

However, Moran said wastewater can and would be treated and disposed of properly by Corridor. [Pretend to treat it, then dump it into the ocean and rivers, and on roads and “spread” it on foodlands?]

“We think the government understands that the wastewater can be treated and disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner,” he said. [Can be does not mean it will be]

“We just want to give them a plan to give them some comfort that they can remove the moratorium.” [Lies and empty promises like every other jurisdiction gets?]

Corridor expects to have a report finished and in the hands of the province by the end of the year. [Won’t that be an interesting wish list to Santa?]

Doucet says they are keen on reviewing the report when it’s presented to them but doesn’t believe fracking is returning to New Brunswick in the near future.

“Due to the price of natural gas right now it’s very low so it could be some time before we actually see development take place,” Doucet explained. “But yes if some of the steps are met we’re definitely interested in looking at them.” [Emphasis added]

[Refer also to:

2016 06 24: Sussex wants New Brunswick government to lift fracking ban: “there just have been no issues what so ever”

“They’ve been here all this time and there just have been no issues what so ever,”Moffett said.

[REALITY CHECK:

2012 08 07: New Brunswick Frac Problems: First Penobsquis, now Stoney Creek — what’s next?

2006 09 08: BJ Services (fracking in NB for Corridor Resources) radioactive frac blowout

circa 1940: Fracturing Stoney Creek [New Brunswick] Field well with nitroglycerin ]

The five conditions that must be met include:

Ensuring a social licence is in place

Clear and credible information is available about the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on public health, the environment and water

A plan is in place to mitigate the impacts on public infrastructure and to address issues such as waste water disposal

A process is in place to respect the duty of the provincial government to consult with First Nations