Work is nearing completion on the Sundre Petroleum Operator's Group (SPOG)'s long-awaited best practices performance measures document for hydraulic fracking, say officials.
Tracey McCrimmon, executive director of SPOG, said a public open house is scheduled for April 8 at the Eagle Hill Community Centre to unveil the latest draft for the document.
“I'm very happy that we are nearing completion on this,” said McCrimmon.
SPOG chairman Dave Brown echoed McCrimmon's comments, saying he is pleased with the latest draft and believes residents and other stakeholders will be pleased with it.
SPOG is a collection of oil and gas companies with operations in the Sundre area.
Hydraulic fracking is the use of high-pressure water and other fluids to create cracks in rock formations deep below the surface, which in turn, allows oil and gas to be more easily collected and moved to the surface.
SPOG develops best practice performance measures to bridge the gap between government regulations and public expectations, she said, noting that although the measures are voluntary for SPOG members, they do set standards that companies are asked to follow.
The best practices performance measures document for fracking was originally scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2012, but was delayed after a couple of SPOG companies raised concerns about parts of the document relating to proposed public notification distances from fracking wellsites, she said.
The performance measures are documented and compiled in what SPOG calls a proactive engagement process (PEP), which includes public, company and other stakeholder input.
As part of the PEP process for the fracking best practices measures, SPOG has consulted with the Energy Resources Conservation Board, she said.
SPOG already has best practice measures in place for such things as oilpatch road traffic, noise associated with oilfield operations, flaring, seismic, and water testing.
SPOG's area covers 600 square miles and is bordered by Highway 54 in the north, Highway 582 in the south, Highway 766 in the east, and between ranges 7 and 8 in the west.
"I'm very happy that we are nearing completion on this."Tracey McCrimmon, SPOG
