Concerns about water safety near Grande Prairie have brought oil companies and county officials together to set new standards for oil and gas drilling, said a county councillor.
“Our water quality in the Valhalla area has deteriorated something terrible over the last few years,” said County of Grande Prairie coun. Richard Harpe.
After years of conflict with the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board and its predecessor, the Energy Resources Conservation Board, the county decided to deal directly with oil companies to set higher standards for drilling and protect underground water.
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The county invited representatives of six oil companies to a meeting and hopes if they can agree on improvements, the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board will adopt the upgraded standards more readily.
There are 1,620 producing wells in the county.
Coun. Milton Hommy said the county and the companies agreed on the importance of protecting water, but the companies said they are following established drilling guidelines.
“They say they’re living up to the standards. We’re saying maybe that’s not enough.”
Harpe believes there may be a resolution. The oil companies will return in April with proposals to help protect water when they drill.
“We’ve been working on it for so many years and it looks like we’re going to come to some sort of resolution,” said Harpe.
But he is discouraged any regulations will only apply to the County of Grande Prairie.
Calls to oil company officials were not returned.
