Protection of Water Sources and Testing Water Wells

Question 1

One of the most common public concerns with wellsite drilling, fracturing, disposal wells, and above ground storage is the potential impacts and the protection of

Answer 1

1. waterwells,
2. surface water and/or groundwater.

Question 2

Water is a precious resource and landowners are dependent on an undamaged water supply for their own consumption and also for

Answer 2

their livestock

Question 3

When coal bed methane (?) exploration became prominent in the province in the early 2000s, there was a great deal of concern about the contamination of water aquifers above the ????(BGWP).

Answer 3

CBM

base of groundwater protection

Question 4

“Prior to filing a new well licence application for CBM above BGWP, an applicant MUST offer to test any active water wells and observation wells within a 600 m radius of proposed well”. (Directive ?)

Answer 4

056

Question 5

“Prior to filing a new well licence application for CBM above BGWP, an applicant MUST offer to test any active water wells and observation wells within a ?m radius of proposed well”. (Directive 056)

Answer 5

600

Question 6

CBM wells are wells that are completed or recompleted in a ??. Directive 056, Energy Development Applications, makes reference to the requirements of ? (in a general sense), and requires water well testing within a designated proximity of a well bore.

Answer 6

coal seam

D 035

Question 7

true or false

1. With the decrease of unconventional drilling since the early 2000s, along with related well fracturing activities, concerns about groundwater and sub-surface water resources is no longer a major public concern.
2. Directives related to well casing and to underground or above ground storage play a part in ensuring water resources are conserved and protected.

Answer 7

false

1. With the increase of unconventional drilling since the early 2000s, along with related well fracturing activities, concerns about groundwater and sub-surface water resources has become a major public concern.
2. True.

Question 8

AER is always concerned about public ? and public ? in the ? process.

Answer 8

safety

confidence

regulatory

Question 9

New regulations ? to address both public concerns and new technologies that are being used in the ? and ? of energy resources.

Answer 9

evolve

recovery and production

Question 10

Existing Directives may be ? and ?, and new Directives may evolve, in a ? of ??, in order to ensure responsible development that is in the ??.

Answer 10

reviewed and revised

cycle of continuous improvement

public interest

Question 11

Who/what (part of ESRD) manages and has mapped groundwater resources in Alberta?

Answer 11

Alberta Environment

Question 12

Alberta Environment (now part of the combined Ministry of Env+SRD) introduced the Standard for Baseline Water-well Testing for Coalbed Methane/Natural Gas in Coal Operations (The Standard) to make baseline testing mandatory in ?.

Answer 12

April 2004

Question 13

The Standard, as it is referred to in industry, provides the foundation for AER Directive 035. Directive 035 outlines baseline water well ?? for CBM wells.

Answer 13

testing requirements

Question 14

Directive 044 provides directions on ? and ? of water production in hydrocarbon wells. If water is produced in the course of drilling a hydrocarbon well, it must be monitored and tested according to specific requirements.

Answer 14

sampling and analisys

Question 15

Directive 044 provides directions on sampling and analysis of water production in hydrocarbon wells. If water is produced in the course of drilling a hydrocarbon well, it must be ? and ? according to specific requirements.

Answer 15

monitored and tested

Question 16

Alberta has a “Water for Life Strategy”, aimed at protecting and conserving our provincial water resources. This is an important strategy that land professionals should be aware of and be prepared to …………………………………………………… who may inquire about protection of water resources. Open the link to the Water for Life website and view the videos posted there.

http://www.waterforlife.alberta.ca/

Answer 16

discuss with public and landowners

Question 17

Testing Water Wells

Each company may have their own format for the ‘offer to test water well’ letter. A ? is commonly used to track and organize notifications to landowners, occupants, and stakeholders. Although the letter formats may differ among companies, the criteria remains the same as it is dictated by regulations.

There must be a ?? that documents all efforts and results in regards to water well tesing. This documentation must be readily available in the event of an ? by ESRD and/or AER. As a part of a surface team, administrators, analysts, and agents play a huge role in building and managing this documentation.

Answer 17

linelist

paper trail

audit

Question 18

Summary

You have now located the regulatory information pertaining to water testing requirements on the AER website (Directives ? and ? ) and reviewed the content of these Directives. You should understand that this regulatory information originated from Alberta Environment’s baseline testing requirements, referred to as “The Standard”.

As AER takes on some aspects of ?responsibilities related to energy projects, we can expect changes in processes and expectations related to water testing and protection. Water is a ? ? for all Albertans, and as demands on water use increase, you can expect an increasing number of regulations to manage impacts and consumption of water resources.

As a Land Professional, you must be aware of water well testing requirements and stay current on new standards and regulatory directives that relate to the protection of our water resources.

Answer 18

Directives 035 and 044

ESRD

key resource