This is part of a very long article, "Citizen EnCana," that appeared in Fast Forward, Calgary's News and Entertainment Weekly.
Fast Forward spoke with 20 farmers and ranchers while preparing this story, and the same concerns came up frequently: some were afraid the company was contaminating their water; some accused the company of allowing weeds to grow on their leases, endangering their crops; almost everyone said the company wasn't taking their concerns seriously. All these complaints pale next to the health problems experienced by a few of the landowners who've crossed paths with EnCana.
Darrell Graff, a 30 year old farmer had a seizure because of chemicals released during the frequent flaring of Encana gas wells.
Jessica Ernst worked for EnCana and successfully persuaded them to reduce the noisy compressor that was keeping her up nights, but she quit the company when they showed her a release they hoped to get people in the community to sign. EnCana wanted the release signed so they wouldn't have to consult with the community.
Remember this from the EnCana Oil and Gas website:
"At EnCana, we are committed to working with landowners, residents, communities, local governments and regulatory bodies to build and maintain long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. We consider stakeholder interests in all our operations by: • conducting public consultation in accordance with industry/regulatory guidelines
• consulting with landowners and residents who may have questions about our proposed or existing activities
• providing opportunities for community awareness and input about our operational plans in proximity to residents, landowners and Aboriginal communities
• providing continuous support for crisis management planning
We are also committed to continuous and lasing improvements by:
• regular reviews of our activities in each community in which we operate
• asking landowners, residents, communities and other stakeholders for their feedback on our role as a corporate neighbor
Our approach to building these relationships is one based on respect and timely communication about relevant and proposed developments. EnCana believes that community consultation is a collaborative process shared by the Company and our communities.
Later Ernst had water problems. Her dogs wouldn't drink it, it started fizzing like carbonated water, and it raised her water pressure forcing its way through the pipes even when the water was turned off. It was then that Ernst discovered that she had Fire Water.
Tests on her water revealed high levels of methane, ethane and several other fossil fuels. It also showed signs of heavy hydrocarbons, like the ones used in drilling fluids. Three other area wells have shown high levels of gas. At least two studies have shown that, when a well is fraced, the pressure can break through the bedrock and leak natural gas into the groundwater. Drilling fluids can also contain trace amounts of chemicals, ranging from diesel to ammonium.
Of Course, EnCana, being the ethical company it is and because it has made billions of dollars in profit from drilling on people's land, made sure Ernst and her neighbors had clean, safe water denied that its fracing had contaminated the water supply despite the fact that a test by University of Alberta water expert Karlis Muehlenbachs showed "strong similarities" between the gas EnCana was producing from the area and the gas in Ernst's water.
A pipeline on Shawn and Ronalie Campbell's land corroded and spilled saltwater on their land. Nine years and much remediation later, the grass is still stunted.
The Campbell's well went dry and went they drilled another one they had the same fizzy, Fire Water that Ernst has.
Jeff Locker's water went bad and even turned black after EnCana fraced in his area. EnCana paid him $21,000 US hush money, but when they drilled another well near his place and his water turned black again, he didn't stay hushed.
Louis Meeks' water also went bad and he says EnCana has offered to buy him out. It's hard for Meeks to put a price on a home where he has lived for 0 years.
In Rifle, Colorado, EnCana leaked natural gas and benzene into a creek. They were fined $371,200.
Royaly owners in Colorado sued EnCana for not paying them the royalties it owed. EnCana settled for $40 Million.
EnCana owed over $100 million to Rifle, Colorado in unpaid fines. They agreed to pay $15,000.
Colorado has been trying to impose stricter environmental regulations. EnCana has threatened to leave the area and has encouraged charities that receive EnCana Donations to pressure the government.
EnCana fought with the Canadian government over drilling in one of the last stretches of native prairie left. "The government investigated EnCana for allegedly building a pipeline and several roads on the preserve without permission. In 2007, a company pipeline burst in the area and spilled 50,000 litres of oil and saltwater under a wetland."
Laura Amos, Rifle, Co., developed a rare adrenal gland tumor after EnCana fraced wells near her. The endocrine something has linked adrenal tumors with hydraulic fracturing .
Chris Mobaldi developed tumors on her pituitary gland.
Darrel Graff, the 30 year old mentioned in the first bullet, and his family were having profound health problems from the flaring so they moved to another area were there was no gas activity. Encana soon moved to that area and started the flaring there. Darrel became so disabled that he now requires a cane to walk. When the article appeared in FFWD, the flaring was so bad that Darrel was living in his van in another area.
Kaye Kilburn, a Los Angeles-based neurologist who has examined the Graffs, believes poisoning from hydrogen sulfide gas is to blame for Barbara and Darrell's condition. He says the substance is harmful in as small a concentration as one part per million, and argues it is worse than chlorine or the nerve gases used in the First World War. "If it doesn't kill you, it produces brain damage," he says. "It's a first-class poison."
This next part sounds too familiar:
Fighting a company that employs so many people in a small community isn't easy, and fellow landowners are reluctant to speak up. As he points out the well that he believes is responsible for forcing his family from their land, a group of coverall-clad men gather on the platform and stare back at him across a sweet-smelling, yellow field of canola.
If they were staring across a field of wheat or a pasture of coastal hay, it could be Wise County.
