Province defends sour gas approach
Saskatchewan’s Progressive Conservative Party is demanding the provincial government release documents and industry reports about H2S gas leaks.
Following a months-long investigation into leaks in Saskatchewan done by a number of media organizations led by the Toronto Star and journalism schools, including the University of Regina’s, the province is defending its approach to H2S, also known as hydrogen sulphide or sour gas.
Rick Swenson, who was the province’s energy minister about 28 years ago, says the province should release documents about H2S “hot spots” as well as reports related to sour gas incidents.
He also said he is appalled the province is not levying fines against non-compliant companies, saying it is “ridiculous (Saskatchewan) doesn’t have a regime of financial penalties.”
In a lengthy statement, the province says all wells and facilities producing sour gas are required to have public signage and in incidences involving the release of the gas, the operator must notify the provincial regulator of the incident and activate an emergency response plan, which according to the province includes notifying landowners, securing the site and advising emergency response agencies.
H2S is highly toxic and exposures to high concentrations can lead to death. Although low levels of H2S have a foul smell similar to rotten eggs, at high levels there is no smell.
The statement also notes there has not been a reported release of H2S since June and that prior to 2015, data on sour gas releases “was not collected and therefore the Ministry was unable to incorporate this data” into its online reporting database.
But Swenson says the province would have recorded that information and someone within the energy ministry would have all that documentation at their fingertips.
“You can’t tell me those incident reports, which are phoned in, have disappeared into a black hole somewhere,” he said.
As a former energy minister, Swenson said he understands it’s a two-part picture of trying to work with industry to get resources exported and “ensure that the safety side and the environmental side is looked after.”
The province says that since 2015 it has increased inspections and issued 12 compliance notices for releases of sour gas that were not high-risk.
“There has been a marked improvement in air quality in southeast Saskatchewan in terms of sour gas levels,” read the statement. “Air quality standards consistently show that air quality standards are being met.”
High doses of sour gas can be deadly: In 2016, the Village of Torquay was fined more than $40,000 for a 2014 workplace fatality. Those charges stemmed from a fatal incident near the village where a worker was in a confined space and was exposed to the deadly gas.