multiple barriers and safeguards protect surface and groundwater

Hydraulic fracturing is not new. It has been used to recover oil and gas in Western Canada for over 60 years with an established safety record and continually improving environmental performance.

In Alberta and British Columbia, we utilize horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing technologies in accordance with provincial regulations and industry best practices. We adhere to all requirements in well design, containment processes and ongoing monitoring. These requirements are designed to prevent any fracturing fluid from mixing or entering groundwater or surface water locations.

Chevron Canada is a member of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and abides by its guiding principles for hydraulic fracturing. Chevron Canada supports the disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing.

what is hydraulic fracturing?

• Hydraulic fracturing involves injecting fluids into the deep underground rock at high enough pressures to create fractures in the rock. This opens pathways in the rock to allow oil and natural gas to flow.
• Water and sand constitute more than 99 percent of the fracturing fluid. The remaining one percent consists of a number of chemicals added to improve the fracturing efficiency and effectiveness. All chemicals are used in extremely low concentrations and have not been shown to be hazardous for their intended use.
• On average, the hydraulic fracturing process takes only three to 10 days. Once completed, the well will produce natural gas for several decades.

how chevron protects the environment during hydraulic fracturing

At Chevron Canada, we’re committed to minimizing our impact on the environment, and we believe that protecting the environment can go hand in hand with meeting the world's energy needs.

• Our hydraulic fracturing operations are more than three kilometres below any potable groundwater sources.
• Our wells have multiple layers of steel casing and cement, which form a continuous barrier between the well and the surrounding formations, including potable and non-potable aquifers.
• During drilling and completions operations, our wells are monitored by on-site teams to ensure immediate response to operating conditions.
• Throughout the life of our wells, we perform tests to verify long-term integrity.
• Chevron Canada has the capability and technology to manage well flowback and produced water in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
• Where feasible, Chevron Canada strives to recycle and reuse all well flowback and produced water during the development phase. When this is not feasible, Chevron Canada disposes all flowback and produced water in accordance with applicable government regulations at designated facilities.

facts about hydraulic fracturing

• More than 175,000 wells have been fractured safely in Western Canada over the last 60 years.
• There are currently more than 1,500 natural gas wells in B.C. producing natural gas for use in homes, businesses and industry all across British Columbia that were developed using hydraulic fracturing.
• 60 percent of all natural gas delivered by pipelines every day to hundreds of thousands of homes in British Columbia has been extracted using hydraulic fracturing.
• Water and sand constitute more than 99 percent of fracturing fluid.

For more information, please visit:

• Alberta Energy Regulator (AER)
• BC Oil and Gas Commission (BCOGC)
• Canada's Natural Gas
• Natural Gas Resources (Government of Canada) 
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)
• Canadian Society for Unconventional Resources (CSUR)
• Petroleum & Natural Gas Geoscience (British Columbia Government)