Hydraulic fracturing

This submission was made in 2013 following publication of the Commissioner's interim report on the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing in New Zealand.

• Submission to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (562 KB pdf)

These papers are referenced in the Taranaki Regional Council's 'Guide to regulating oil and gas exploration and development activities under the Resource Management Act'.

• SPE papers on hydraulic fracturing (34 KB pdf)

This report was prepared for the Taranaki Regional Council by Air Quality Management Ltd in 2013. The report finds it is reasonable to conclude that the disposal of fracturing fluid by flaring should not result in any adverse effects beyond the wellsite.

• Atmospheric dispersion modelling of discharges to air from the flaring of fracturing fluid (907 KB pdf)

TAG Oil (NZ) Ltd operates two hydrocarbon wellsites and a production station, located on Mountain Rd and Taylor Rd at Ngaere, in the Patea and Waingongoro catchments. This 2013 report covers the results and findings of a one-off investigation implemented by the Council relating to past discharges to land and water (including by previous site occupants), following concerns over possible effects of past hydraulic fracturing activities.

• TAG Oil (NZ) Ltd groundwater monitoring report 2013 (1.1 MB pdf)

This report addresses the use of radioactive tracers, the use of radioactive materials within well logging activities, disposal of drilling wastes potentially containing radioactive materials, and the question of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) that might be released during exploration or production.

• Radioactivity in hydrocarbon exploration (including fracturing activities) (354 KB pdf)

This documentation was submitted to the Taranaki Regional Council as part of a resource consent application in 2012.

• Assessment of environmental effects (4.9 MB pdf)

This memorandum was presented to the Council's Policy and Planning Committee in July 2012

• Royal Society recommendations on hydraulic fracturing in the UK, & NZ practice (307 KB pdf)

This report details the results of a Council study of flare characteristics and downwind consequences of the flaring of fracturing fluids at a wellsite in North Taranaki in February 2012.

• Investigation of air quality arising from flaring of fracturing fluids (1.1 MB pdf)
• Appendices (3.6 MB pdf)

This 2012 report, by GNS Science, was commissioned by the Council. It examines seismic data for any evidence of seismic activity associated with hydraulic fracturing or deep well re-injection operations in Taranaki, over the period 2001-2011.

• Assessment of the effects of hydraulic fracturing on seismicity in the Taranaki region (1.4 MB pdf)

This review of hydraulic fracturing operations conducted in Taranaki from 1989 to mid-2011 found no evidence of related environmental problems.

• Hydrogeologic risk assessment of hydraulic fracturing for gas recovery in the Taranaki region (920 KB pdf)
• Appendices (9.8 MB pdf)
• Summary map (773 KB jpg)