Corridor Resources taking lead on reinstating fracking in N.B.

Corridor Resources Incorporated say they plan on taking the lead in getting fracking reinstated in the province of New Brunswick.

Corridor Resources was forced to shelve their plans for shale gas development in the province when the government instituted a ban on fracking in 2014. It was announced in May the ban would remain in place indefinitely.

READ MORE: Ban on fracking in New Brunswick will continue indefinitely: minister

“We’re the biggest player in the province in terms of natural gas producers, certainly have the largest interest to remove the moratorium of any oil and gas company in the province,” said Steve Moran, Corridor’s CEO.

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“So we’ve decided to take the initiative.”

Moran believes demonstrating that fracking can be done safely while mitigating risks isn’t too tall of an order for his company, and the work they do should give the government and residents peace of mind.

Of the five main conditions that came out of the Select Committee on Hydraulic Fracturing’s February report, two were in respect to concerns over the treatment and disposal of frack wastewater.

READ MORE: Energy industry urging government to lift fracking moratorium

“There’s only two wastewater facilities in the province that could handle it,” explained Energy and Resource Development Minister Rick Doucet. “At this point in time they’ve declined, they’re not interested in accepting it.”

However, Moran said wastewater can and would be treated and disposed of properly by Corridor.

“We think the government understands that the wastewater can be treated and disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner,” he said.

“We just want to give them a plan to give them some comfort that they can remove the moratorium.”

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Corridor expects to have a report finished and in the hands of the province by the end of the year.

Doucet says they are keen on reviewing the report when it’s presented to them but doesn’t believe fracking is returning to New Brunswick in the near future.

“Due to the price of natural gas right now it’s very low so it could be some time before we actually see development take place,” Doucet explained. “But yes if some of the steps are met we’re definitely interested in looking at them.”

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