Bruce Peachey, president of New Paradigm Engineering Ltd, discusses the complexities of hydraulic fracturing in Alberta.
Peachey argues that it is difficult to explain hydraulic fracturing to the public because it is a complex process that can be executed in different ways -- depending on the company - so it is hard to simplify. He also explains public perceptions are different depending on the town or region where people live. Regions with historically less oil and gas activity have citizens with more concerns about the risks and benefits of hydraulic fracturing. Whether citizens see economic growth through hydraulic fracturing as a positive event, depends on the current economic strength of the area concerned. Towns with weak economies are more likely to welcome oil and gas development.
He also discusses the main components involved in hydraulic fracturing, such as water and sand, and touches on the main types of carrier fluids used. He talks about the difficulty in making future predictions in oil and gas industry development due to such factors as the uncertainty about the amount of reserves that exist and the future of gas prices.
This presentation was a part of the Petroleum Technology Alliance of Canada, Hydraulic Fracturing in Western Canada: an Environmental Perspective Forum, in May of 2014.
