Protecting and maintaining environmental and community water needs are our priorities.
The largest use of water for energy resource activities is for hydraulic fracturing. However, water is used for other purposes, such as:
How Water is Accessed
Companies may obtain permission to use water through provincial legislation like water licences, short-term water use or diversion approvals. Companies may also access water through private agreements with landowners who have a licenced water supply. These private agreements are outside our oversight but still require authorization under the Water Sustainability Act.
Water Sources
Most water used for energy resource activities is withdrawn from surface sources, such as rivers, streams, and dugouts, with minor amounts sourced from shallow groundwater aquifers. The graphic below illustrates the differences between these water sources and how groundwater is found in aquifers – underground layers of permeable material – which may be accessed by drilling a groundwater well.
How We Ensure Sustainable Water Use
By collecting water use figures and monitoring real-time streamflow data, we make informed decisions on water use applications, suspend withdrawals during droughts and manage water use rights.
Our award-winning Northeast Water Tool (NEWT) provides the flow needs of streams and lakes through Watershed Reporting and Cumulative Diversion Analysis. Also available within NEWT is the Groundwater Review Assistant, housing a comprehensive summary of groundwater-related data. For regions beyond the northeast, the BC Water Tool provides accurate, real-time information about water resources and water users across B.C.
BCER Data Centre
View the geographic location of where water is withdrawn and information about proposed and permitted use of water.
View fluid analysis of water samples taken from water source wells in Drilling Data for All Wells in B.C.
BCER Water Portal
Access current and historical flow volumes of rivers and streams throughout communities in B.C.
Other Tools & Maps
Our Tools & Maps page provides access to additional tools such as the BC Water Availability Tool.
Our Data Narratives page provides insight into Water Allocation and Use, and the Water Used In Energy Resource Activities Fact Sheet provides an overview of how we manage water use.
How Much Water is Used
Our main goal is to protect water flows for aquatic ecosystems and communities before allocating water for industry use. Companies that withdraw water by way of water licences or short-term use approvals must report to the BCER how much water they have withdrawn.
Each year, the amount of water withdrawn by industry in northeast B.C. averages 0.006 per cent of the total volume of mean annual runoff in northeast B.C. This water withdrawal data is available in the BCER's quarterly Water Management Summaries, with points of diversion available through our Open Data Portal.
How Much Water is Reused
Water is the primary constituent of fluid for hydraulic fracture stimulation of wells. Flowback water (water that flows back to the surface through the wellbore following the fracturing process) must be metered and reported. Advancements in technology allow the reuse of flowback water for subsequent hydraulic fracturing operations in other wells. Currently, over half of the water used for hydraulic fracturing in B.C. is reused flowback water, reducing the need for freshwater withdrawal.
Companies are required to report hydraulic fracturing and other water use activities to the BCER, as listed below.
After hydraulic fracturing, companies must report the volumes of water injected, well behaviour and disclose fracture fluids.
Produced water refers to the water produced as a by-product during the process of extracting oil or gas. It is a brackish (saline) solution from underground formations that is brought to the surface.
Water may be injected into underground formations to enhance the volume of oil or natural gas being recovered. A disposal well is often a depleted oil or gas well, into which waste fluids, such as produced water, can be injected for safe disposal.
Additional Resources
The Water Sustainability Act (WSA) provides helpful water-related terms and definitions, describes water rights, outlines water protection and sustainability plans, and much more.
The Groundwater Protection Regulation (GWPR) outlines the requirements for drilling, constructing and completing wells to ensure they meet the highest standards and protect groundwater.
This reference is for water source well permit applicants and permit holders, covering the requirements for applying for and obtaining water source well permits. It provides guidance for hydrogeological assessments in support of applying for water licences under the Water Sustainability Act.
This manual provides operators an overview of the procedures for applying for a water licence, from pre-application requirements, through our review and determination process and post-approval compliance expectations.
This chapter of the Oil and Gas Activity Applications Manual provides an overview of short-term water use permitting and guidance on planning and design, details related to application requirements and instructions for completing application data fields.
This document is for an applicant seeking to establish a new non-domestic groundwater supply.
This guidance document helps determine the effect of diversion of groundwater on specific streams.
For decisions on applications for water diversion and use in the Blueberry, Upper Beatton, and Lower Sikanni Chief Watersheds.
Interim "Environmental Flow Needs (EFN) Framework for Water Management" tool and documentation, for decisions on applications for water diversion and use in the Blueberry, Upper Beatton, and Lower Sikanni Chief Watersheds
For background, see IU 2023-05: Implementing the Northeast British Columbia Treaty 8 Agreements: New Framework for Water Management.
Water Management Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find more water data?
The Northeast Water Tool (NEWT) offers point-and-click tools for accessing accurate, real-time information about the province's water resources:
- Watershed Reporting: provides data on water supply, authorizations for use, environmental flow needs and other watershed characteristics.
- The Groundwater Review Assistant (GWRA): a compilation of groundwater data to assist in hydrogeological reviews for groundwater licence applications or support review of a variety of groundwater protection aspects.
- Cumulative Diversion Analysis: provides insight into streamflow variability to inform proposed diversions of water – to effectively protect ecosystems and ensure reliable water supplies.
The Water Portal provides a range of water-related data and information.
Why is water used for hydraulic fracturing?
Water is essential to the hydraulic fracturing process. It carries sand and a small percentage of chemical additives down the well bore in stages, pumped at sufficient pressure to create fractures along the target formation. It moves the sand into the newly created pathways where the sand keeps the fractures open and allows gas and fluids to flow to the surface.
How is water allocated for energy resource activities?
The BCER has delegated authority to issue water licences under Section 9 and short-term water use approvals under Section 10 of the Water Sustainability Act. We consider many factors when reviewing water use applications, such as runoff levels in rivers, groundwater aquifer productivity, other water users and ecological values. Community water supplies and environmental flow needs are considered and protected before a decision on a water licence or approval is made, and conditions may be attached to the water use permissions. The BCER proactively monitors water levels and suspends water withdrawals when necessary.
How is groundwater quality protected?
Provincial laws outline how the oil and gas industry must ensure water resources, including groundwater, are protected from contamination throughout the lifecycle of an oil and gas activity (from application through restoration) Regulatory provisions for groundwater protection include:
- Prevention requirements (e.g., setbacks and location restrictions, engineering specifications and standards for all wells, pipelines, and facilities, operational requirements, testing and emergency preparedness requirements)
- Monitoring requirements (e.g., operational safety and environmental monitoring and reporting)
- Mitigation requirements (e.g., emergency response, site remediation and reclamation)
In addition to legislation, special conditions may be prescribed in permits for energy activities, to address site-specific issues or concerns.
As an example for engineering requirements for oil and gas wells, pressure-tested steel casings are cemented in place to prevent deeper underground fluids (e.g., saline water, oil, gas) and hydraulic fracturing fluids from migrating into freshwater aquifers. At the time of well decommissioning, requirements include isolating porous intervals using cement, and cutting and capping the well below ground prior to site restoration.
What happens to produced water?
Produced water (saline water originating from deep subsurface formations and flowback hydraulic fracture fluid) that comes to the surface during production is injected into approved disposal wells. If this water is produced from an oil pool under waterflood recovery, the water is generally re-injected back into the same pool.
Approximately two-thirds of the water used for hydraulic fracturing operations is recycled from previous fracturing operations or sourced from deep subsurface saline aquifers. This produced water may be stored temporarily before re-use but is eventually injected into approved disposal service wells, both which are subject to strict regulations.
What is being done to ensure water supplies are conserved?
While northeast B.C. has abundant water, it needs to be managed carefully. To make informed water use decisions, the BCER developed the award-winning Northeast Water Tool (NEWT). NEWT provides users with point-and-click tools for accessing accurate, real-time information about the province's water resources, including water availability and current water use approval data.
To further protect aquatic resources and conserve water for community use, the BCER issues suspensions of short-term water withdrawals by the energy industry during periods of seasonal low flow and drought. Water licences also contain specific conditions limiting withdrawals during periods of low flow.
While approximately one-third of the water used for hydraulic fracturing operations comes from fresh sources (surface water and groundwater), the remaining two-thirds is comprised of recycled water or water sourced from deep subsurface saline aquifers.
If you have further questions about water use for energy resource activities in B.C., please email communications@bc-er.ca.