Is freshwater used for fracking in BC?

Yes, freshwater is used for fracking in British Columbia (BC). Oil and gas companies in BC have been extracting significant amounts of freshwater for their hydraulic fracturing operations, with a record six billion litres used in 2023, marking a 16% increase from 2022, according to data from the BC Energy Regulator1. This water is primarily sourced from rivers and lakes, even amidst ongoing multi-year droughts in regions like Peace and Fort Nelson1.

Historically, the oil and gas industry in BC used relatively little water compared to other industrial users, but this changed dramatically with the introduction of fracking in 20052. Each fracking well in BC can use between 5 million and 100 million litres of water, which is mixed with chemicals and sand, then pumped underground at high pressure to release gas from shale formations25. Notably, the oil and gas sector is the only industry in BC permitted to extract freshwater, contaminate it, and dispose of it untreated into disposal wells, permanently removing it from the water cycle24. In 2021, for instance, the industry withdrew 5.2 billion litres of freshwater for these operations4.

The cost to companies for accessing this water is minimal, at just $2.25 per million litres, resulting in total rental fees of less than $8,000 for the entire industry in 202124. Despite efforts by the industry to increase the use of alternatives and reduce reliance on surface water and fresh groundwater, freshwater remains a critical component of fracking operations in BC8.

1. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2024/07/05/news/fracking-companies-bc-used-record-amounts-fresh-water-last-year
2. https://stand.earth/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Fracking-water-report-pdf.pdf
3. https://www.capp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Water-use-for-hydraulic-fracturing-in-BC-351500.pdf
4. https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/bc-news/bcs-fracking-industry-consumed-52-billion-litres-of-water-in-2021-6194195
5. https://thenarwhal.ca/what-is-fracking-in-canada/
6. https://www.dogwoodbc.ca/news/farms-fresh-water-fish-or-fracking-we-cant-have-it-all/
7. https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/hydraulic-fracturing-in-british-columbia
8. https://www.capp.ca/en/research-and-publications/water-use-for-hydraulic-fracturing-in-british-columbia/