Environmentalists watching coalbed methane

By Grant Warkentin
Campbell River Mirror
Aug 23 2006

If anyone tries to drill for coalbed methane gas on the northern half of Vancouver Island, the Comox-Strathcona Regional District will be ready.

Representatives from the Vancouver-based West Coast Environmental Law firm met with a subcommittee of the regional district yesterday to give them their hot-off-the-presses "Coalbed Methane: A BC Local Government Guide." The regional district was the first local government in B.C. to receive the guide, which offers suggestions, ideas and information about how to handle the growing amount of coalbed methane development in the province.

Coalbed methane is a gas found in coal seams that can be used as a fuel source in a way similar to natural gas. Priority Ventures explored for the gas in the Comox Valley several years ago and in 2003 David Slater, president and CEO of Hillsborough Resources, which owns Campbell River's Quinsam Coal mine, said his company was interested in coalbed methane.

"Coal bed methane drilling north of the airport could open up a whole new industry in Campbell River," he said at the time.

Slater could not be contacted prior to the Mirror's deadline. However, Margot McMillan, staff counsel with the law firm, said the coal mine's plans for the North Island are still being watched.

"From what we can tell, the project is still on the horizon," she said. "It's certainly still an issue."

The Vancouver environmental law firm is not out to stop coalbed methane exploration and drilling. With a growing need for energy sources, demand for the gas will increase, making the projects inevitable, the firm says. It just wants to make sure it's done in a way that does not damage the environment, cause problems for communities or leave behind messes that will take decades to clean up.

The firm's guide refers to states such as Wyoming and Colorado where coalbed methane drilling projects have negatively impacted on the environment and communities around the drill sites. The firm wants to make sure B.C. doesn't make the same mistakes.

"It is not clear how much or which parts of the U.S. experience will translate to B.C., given differences in geology and geography. No two coalfields are alike. The common experience in the U.S., however, has not been positive. British Columbians have an opportunity to ensure that the U.S. experience is not repeated here," the guide says.

The biggest environmental concern from coalbed methane drilling is the contaminated water it sometimes produces. Water is sucked out of the drill hole and stored while methane gas is extracted. The water can sometimes be used for irrigation, but sometimes contains heavy metals and is stored in sealed drill holes underground.

"In many parts of the U.S., this water has no beneficial use, and communities have had serious problems disposing this produced water," says the guide.

Regional district board chair Jim Abram was instrumental in getting a resolution passed at the Union of BC Municipalities in 2003 which tried to put the brakes on exploration. The resolution asked the provincial government to bring a halt to coalbed methane development until provincial regulations are in place.

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