Voluntary guidlines for fracking
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (“CAPP”) unveiled six “operating principles” it expects natural gas companies to follow. These new environmental reporting guidelines for natural gas companies are an attempt to alleviate concerns regarding hydraulic fracking. There are concerns that fracking may result in natural gas and other toxins leaking into water sources.
CAPP specifically wants its members to reveal the following information: the chemicals they use when extracting natural gas by fracking; how they construct wellbores; test results of water wells near drilling sites; how they transport, handle and store fracking fluids; and their processes for creating well-specific risk management plans for fracturing fluid.
However, these new guidelines are voluntary and do not establish any firm rules about hydraulic fracturing. Thus, it is not clear whether any companies will abide by CAPP’s new guidelines.
