Sour gas emissions concerns spread east

A simmering dispute boiled over into a court case in Tilston, in the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border region, over suspected fugitive emissions of sour gas which is blamed for a variety of detrimental health effects on the people living in the area, their livestock as well as the environment. A group of farm families calling themselves the Group Advocating Safe Petroleum Emissions (GASPE) are seeking to force the Manitoba government to conduct environmental assessments and to license oilfield facilities. A number of investigations have been done over the years in response to repeated complaints alleging harm to people and livestock, without reaching scientifically defensible conclusions, pro or con. The farmers claim that the studies were confined to a single oil battery, and there are 60 or 70 oil batteries in Manitoba, all of which ought to be licensed and regulated by the provincial government. Also named in the suit is the Winnipeg-based Tundra Oil and Gas Ltd, which has a production battery in the Tilston area. The residents claim that emissions from the oilfield battery causes upset stomach, headaches, and various respiratory problems. The residents' case is buttressed by very high readings by Manitoba Conservation who put monitors and took several readings in the area last year. The readings 'went right off the scale' according to the residents and they demand environmental assessment and monitoring of all oil batteries