Hear their personal stories of how this crisis has affected them and their families
For years, Albertans have sounded the alarm and shared stories of how aging oil and gas infrastructure is contaminating their water, harming their health, and destroying their livelihoods. Below, three more landowners describe their struggles.
Landowners are left facing poisoned land, lost income, and broken promises, while the true cost of abandonment piles up on their shoulders. More and more Albertans are speaking out about how the social license given to oil and gas companies has been broken. The province, the regulator and the industry have not upheld their end of the Grand Bargain.
It’s time for more of us to speak out because it’s only going to get worse if nothing changes. Alberta’s Mature Asset Strategy quietly shifts the cleanup cost and burden for inactive wells away from industry, which will leave everyday Albertans with more of the mess.
Here are some of their stories.
Watch Teresa’s story
Optical gas imaging courtesy of Tim Doty and David Suzuki Foundation. Videography by Tom Prilesky
Teresa lives near Vermillion, Alberta and has been struggling for years with unexplained health issues occurring in her children, her animals and herself. After being ignored by the company and the Alberta Energy Regulator about the terrible odors from the two wells on her home quarter, experts show huge amounts of air contaminants being vented from the wells and leaking into her home.
Watch Ron’s story
Videography by Tom Prilesky
Ron lives in Falher, Alberta and has many sour gas wells and pipelines that crisscross his property. When a pipeline burst near his house, the operator and the AER let the leak bubble for days, filling his house with toxic fumes.
Watch Dwight’s story
Videography by Tom Prilesky
Dwight is a landowner in Two Hills, Alberta who has been struggling with an inactive and orphan well on his property for almost a decade. After the operator disappeared, it took over 8 years – during which there was no emergency plans or basic maintenance – for the province to declare it an orphan, after which the Orphan Well Association told him it would be fully reclaimed in another 10 to 12 years!
What can you do about it?
Your voice makes a difference, and our coalition partner has launched a petition to help you channel it. Call on members of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly to reject the Mature Asset Strategy and end the practice of “drilling and dashing” in Alberta.
