Olivia Woods
British Columbia’s energy regulator has begun limiting water for some oil and gas companies due to the drought in the region.
The British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission (BCOGC) suspended 20 water permits on Thursday for 12 energy firms that use water from the Peace River and Liard River watershed near Fort St. John and Fort Nelson.
In a written directive to the energy industry, the regulator said, “low stream conditions are escalating concerns for impacts to fish, aquatic resources, and community supply.”
“Water levels are anticipated to continue dropping.”
Hydraulic fracturing, a common method of energy extraction in British Columbia, uses large amounts of fresh water to release natural gas.
According to CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe, level 3 drought conditions were announced in the Peace region of B.C. in the middle of August, which could have negative consequences.
“We’ve seen little rain since the start of July and the forecast calls for a dry rest of September as well,” said Wagstaffe.
The BCOGC has stated that energy operators will be able to use water from dugouts and dams, as well as the main channel of the Peace River and Dinosaur Lake.
The energy regulator pledged to help the industry “identify options for alternative short-term water supply.”
According to B.C.’s website, the province can regulate water use “during times of water scarcity or drought.”
Original source material for this article taken from here
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