Official raps fracking critics after sponsored trip

Apache Corp – which along with fellow Canadian company TAG Oil – is behind a proposed development which aims to generate 14 billion barrels of oil on the East Coast of the North Island. Last month it co-funded a fact-finding trip for officials from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council and Gisborne District Council, a 10-day tour aiming to educate officials on fracking.

The procedure – also known as hydraulic fracturing – involves pumping water and chemicals under high pressure underground to fracture rocks and force out gas and oil resources. Opponents claim it increases seismic instability and threatens water sources with chemical pollution. It is being banned in a growing numbers of countries and states.

But Hawke's Bay Regional Council manager of compliance and harbours Bryce Lawrence has written in his post-trip report: "There is significant energy supply geopolitics, and climate change politics occurring worldwide which is creating anti-hydraulic fracturing messages that are not very accurate or even based on issues relating hydraulic fracturing."

Lawrence was accompanied by GDC environmental services manager, Trevor Freeman. A representative from Horizons Regional Council was also set to make the trip but pulled out unexpectedly.

Much of the pair's travelling costs were paid for by Apache, with their 10-day itinerary including hearing the fracking views of oil companies, landowners, industry regulators and selected indigenous tribe officials.

The trip was arranged after council officials said they needed more knowledge before granting consent for proposed fracking on the North Island's East Coast.

Lawrence wrote: "The Canadian authorities' advice is not to get too distracted by hydraulic fracturing as there [are] more likely avenues for environmental pollution from related surface activities, than from hydraulic fracturing.

"The Canadian authorities are aware of the examples used by hydraulic fracturing opponents and have provided their understanding of the issues based on facts as viewed by the three regulators visited. Initially enquiries to verify the regulators' views confirm that hydraulic fracturing opponents do not represent the facts of the issues presented to provide a balanced view."

They were comments which were last night slammed by Green Party MP Gareth Hughes. He had initially welcomed the trip as a potential way for local body officials to upskill on the fracking debate.

But he said: "I think the results are very much a one-sided view of fracking in Canada, which isn't surprising given that Apache funded the trip.

"The report marginalises legitimate and everyday Kiwi concern into fracking.

"This isn't a bunch of extremists or hardened activists. This is everyday Kiwis and farmers."

Hughes said the Canadian province of Quebec had joined an increasing number of states and countries to have introduced a fracking moratorium.

There have also been oil industry workers killed in Canada while working on the controversial procedure.

The Star-Times revealed the size of the TAG Oil and Apache joint-venture in January. Documents from TAG Oil officials said there was potential to build "thousands" of onshore wells on the East Coast and pump "billions of barrels of oil". TAG has written that the area was "literally leaking oil and gas" and the joint venture was prepared to undertake an "aggressive East Coast Basin programme".