Frack fluid trucks flip
No fluids released into environment
Walter Strong
Northern News Services
Published Monday, March 17, 2014
LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS
ConocoPhillips reported on two separate vehicle accidents earlier this month.
A tanker truck hauling spent fracking fluid from ConocoPhillips exploration in the Sahtu lay with its tanker on its side after failing to negotiate a steep hill. No fluids were released into the environment. - photo courtesy of Department of Transportation |
Two trucks hauling spent hydraulic fracturing fluid were involved in incidents on GNWT winter roads. ConocoPhillips recently completed exploratory horizontal hydraulic fracturing near Norman Wells on the Canol shale.
In the first incident March 6, a transport tanker hauling spent fluid was unable to climb a steep hill. The truck slid backwards and its tanker trailer ended up overturned in a ditch. There were no injuries and no spillage, according to ConocoPhillips.
The second incident occurred March 10 when a truck hauling spent fluid again failed to make a steep grade. It jack-knifed as it slid backwards and ended up in a ditch. Both truck and tanker load remained upright, no one was injured and there was no spillage.
Under the terms of ConocoPhillips exploration permits, the company must haul out all spent fracking fluid to an approved storage facility. In both cases, the fluid was being hauled out of the NWT. Representatives of both the GNWT department of transportation and environment and natural resources were on site at both incidents, the company reported.
"We are currently still investigating the cause of these incidents," said company spokesperson Lauren Stewart.
"Preliminary findings indicate that road conditions were a contributing factor in both cases."
