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Énergir predicts that all of the natural gas sold in Quebec will come from its “responsible sourcing” initiative by 2030. This does not, however, exclude gas exploited by fracking, an industry that was banned in Quebec in particularly due to environmental risks and lack of social acceptability.
The company’s network, which holds a virtual monopoly on natural gas distribution in Quebec, is currently 98% supplied with natural gas of fossil origin, Énergir recalls.
This gas comes from Western Canada and the United States, where fracking-based production is becoming increasingly important due to the growing exploitation of shale gas and gas from “tight reservoirs”, which also requires the use of this technology.
The Canada Energy Regulator specifies in particular that if gas resources “are abundant” in the country, 72% of what remains to be exploited “is found in the tight reservoirs and shale gas formations of Alberta and British Columbia “. In addition to serving the North American market, the increase in production expected over the coming years also serves the development of liquefied natural gas projects intended for maritime export.
Due to the numerous interconnections of North American networks, it is difficult to know the exact origin of each molecule of natural gas.
As for the United States, it is the use of hydraulic fracturing in geological formations like that of the Utica (the same one found in the St. Lawrence Lowlands) which has led to a new golden age of the gas industry.
What share for Énergir?
Énergir is, however, unable to specify what portion of the gas produced by fracturing is in the resource that is sold to its Quebec customers. The gas comes from “conventional and unconventional deposits, including shale gas”, indicates the company in a written response to questions from the Duty. “Due to the numerous interconnections of North American networks, it is difficult to know the exact origin of each molecule of natural gas,” she explains.
In this context, Énergir adds that it has implemented “a responsible sourcing initiative” which plans to rely on producing companies “having adopted ESG practices [environnementales, sociales et de gouvernance] among the best.” It expects 100% of its supplies to come from this initiative by 2030.
“Ultimately, we believe that the use of these best practices by producers who demonstrate leadership in terms of sustainable development can indirectly contribute to reducing the environmental footprint of the natural gas that we distribute,” argues the company on its website.
Does this exclude gas exploited by fracking? “The initiative does not make a difference on the processes, but rather evaluates producers and their good practices,” responds Énergir, providing us with a list of gas producers with which it does business and which are established in Canada and in the United States. This list includes around fifteen companies that are involved in the exploitation of shale gas or tight gas.
“Greenwashing”
Analyst and spokesperson for the Regroupement des organisms Environnemental en Énergie, Jean-Pierre Finet describes as “greenwashing” the idea according to which natural gas exploited by fracking can be considered “responsible”.
Mr. Finet emphasizes in particular that the “fugitive” emissions from this industry alone represent a very real climate problem whose scale would be underestimated. These emissions are in the form of methane, a very powerful greenhouse gas. Over a period of 20 years, its warming effect is 80 times more powerful than that of CO₂.
Organizer and media manager for the Quebec Association of Physicians for the Environment (AQME), Patricia Clermont agrees, recalling that the climate crisis represents increasingly significant risks for populations, particularly in Canada.
She also recalls that a report produced by AQME and published in 2020 concluded that gas exploitation by fracking represents serious risks for human health. This document notably mentioned risks for pregnant women and children’s health, but also the impacts for communities where the industry is established, for example in regions where indigenous communities live.
Environmental risks and the lack of social acceptability have led the Quebec government to ban hydraulic fracturing in the province, and therefore to turn its back on the shale gas industry, at the end of an important debate societal which lasted almost a decade. Despite lawsuits filed by companies that held exploration permits, the government has always promised to keep the door closed.
Énergir plans that its network will distribute 10% “renewable natural gas” to Quebec customers by 2030.
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