For me the issue of trusting BP is relavent. Trusting CBM development itself is also another item. There are many well documented cases of horrendous environmental impacts as a DIRECT result of CBM wells. As I understand it two big issues stand out. 1) Dewatering the coalbed aquifrrs also dewaters connected aquifes ( like ones we use for fresh drinking water ) The disposition of the water ( loaded with alkline chemicals and hydrocarbons ) that is pumped off of the coal seams to release the gas is highly problematic. What do you do with all of this saline, alkiline, hydrocarbon loaded polluted water ? The answers coming from industry are in many cases less than acceptable. Just look at what has happened in the Powderkeg Basin in the US. 2) The use of hydrolic fractuing is a common practice in CBM development. The well pipe/casing is perforated and high pressure hydrolic fracing fluid ( a real chemical cocktail ) is injected to break up the coal seam and provide pathways for the gas to escape up the pipe. The problem of course is that this high presure fracing drives the fluid, and gas into adjacent aquifers. Just check out some articles about well water contamination in Rosebud Alberta…it’s really terrible. The energy industry will fight tooth and nail to claim that their fracing operations did not cause methane in your fresh water well – nice.
For me, I am highly suspicous of CBM development. There is way too many cases where it is well documented that it has caused horrendous environmental impacts, and I’m hard pressed to find many cases where the reverse is true. As for BP, well their business practices suggest that they are quite comfortable playing at the top of the risk scale and if shit happens then they will deal with it then – until then drill baby drill !
ALso does anyone have any idea why the MistMountain CBM project got a "pass" on the environmental assessment? What is with that ?
Gerry
