Measures to address abandoned gas wells fall short, professor says

The aftermath of an explosion in Wheatley, Ont. on Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021. (Source: Municipality of Chatham-Kent)

New provincial legislation introduced to help address hazardous oil and gas wells remains short of what’s needed, according to an expert on the matter.

Changes to the Oil, Gas and Salt Resources Act give the Ministry of Natural Resources the power to immediately act on hazardous oil and gas wells in specific situations.

“We want to make sure that if there's an exceptional situation where we have someone, perhaps that's deceased, as a landowner or a company that has gone bankrupt or is insolvent, that we still have a method to access that well and do the work that needs to be done to keep people safe,” Graydon Smith, Ontario’s Minister of Natural Resources told CTV News.

A news release stated the changes will allow the province to recover the costs of any action taken on the well.

In some cases, Smith said wells are considered “high risk” and require remediation.

The minister noted the new power would not be required on a regular basis but could be used as a “tool” in specific situations.

However, Maurice Dusseault, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Waterloo, who has researched oil and gas well integrity, is skeptical about how useful the changes will be.

“It's not going to go away, but I don't think that the provincial legislation really can solve the cost and the liability issue because the vast majority of these abandoned wells have no owner,” Dusseault said.

He said the province has about 27,000 known oil and gas wells, and about 90 per cent are abandoned.

Dusseault noted many wells are likely in bad condition and some can lead to the emission of hydrogen sulfide.

A leak in a well can create a distinct odour noticed from hundreds of metres away, or in severe cases a more dangerous effect.

On Aug. 26, 2021, in Wheatley, a hydrogen sulfide gas explosion shook the community, leaving 20 injured and many unable to return home for a lengthy period.

An uncovered well on the site has since been plugged.

Dusseault said in some cases, there’s a need to do more than plug wells where there are leaks.

“Just simply plugging one well and plugging another is a bit like whack-a-mole,” Dusseault said.

“You stop it here and it's going to pop up over there because the pressure builds up underground.”

The professor would like to see the ministry turn to experts outside their office to create a more concrete plan.

As for the ministry, Smith said they are prioritizing wells on a regular basis with Wheatley in mind to try and avoid another dramatic event.