Drilling into the Montney: How LNG Expansion Will Accelerate Drilling, Fracking and Environmental Impacts in Northeast B.C. and Adjacent Alberta

Published by: David Suzuki Foundation
Authored by: David Hughes
ISBN: 978-1-988424-97-2

Climate solutions Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), British Columbia, energy, fossil fuels, climate change, greenhouse gas emissions

The Montney Formation of northeastern British Columbia and adjacent northwestern Alberta has Canada’s largest known supply of relatively accessible unconventional gas. It is projected to provide 60 per cent of Canada’s gas supply through 2050 with or without additional liquefied fracked gas expansion.

This report analyzes the Montney using drilling and production data from 16,848 wells drilled through year-end 2023 and Canada Energy Regulator projections to map fracking impacts. Well decline rates, productivity and areal variability are assessed along with environmental impacts.

This analysis shows that it is highly unlikely that LNG exports can be scaled up without seriously jeopardizing Canada’s ability to meet its net-zero commitments and harming the environment through acceleration of land disturbance and water consumption in the Montney.

If all of the proposed LNG projects go ahead (using Canada Energy Regulator’s current measures scenario):

• There would be more than 32,000 new wells by 2050 (more than 15,000 would be in B.C.).
• The industry would use up to 35.1 billion litres of water per year by 2050 (in 2023, it used 21.7 billion litres).
• Surface disturbance through construction of well pads, access roads and pipelines would affect an estimated 640 square kilometres over the 2024-50 period.