Questerre Energy to Challenge Quebec’s Utica Frack Ban in Court

The Utica Shale, which underlies much of the Marcellus Shale, also underlies part of Canada’s Quebec province. From time to time we highlight news concerning the Utica in Canada. There hasn’t been much news to highlight over the years since Quebec has had a moratorium on fracking since 2012. But as we reported in December 2016, something of a minor miracle happened–the Quebec National Assembly voted to pass Bill 106, ostensibly to support Quebec’s “clean power plan” (see Fracking in Canadian Utica Shale Takes Big Step Closer to Reality). The bill includes a section that “lays out a framework for oil and gas development” in Quebec. Then in September 2017, Quebec did the unthinkable (for radical environmentalists)–they published draft Utica drilling regulations (see Quebec Government Publishes Draft Utica Fracking Regulations). Canadian driller Questerre believes Utica drilling can begin this year (see Questerre Plans 8 Initial Well Pads in Canadian Utica 2018-2019). News of new Utica regs caused antis in Canada to go berserk. The pressure got to be too much and the politicians decided in June of this year that they will commit fracking suicide instead (see Quebec to Ban Utica Shale Drilling, Most Other Drilling Too). Questerre isn't taking it lying down. They have considerable acreage in the Quebec's Utica. Questerre issued a press release this morning to celebrate Bill 106 (passed in 2016) finally going into effect--and to say as for the frack ban, Questerre will sue the government as soon as it's implemented, to try and get it overturned...

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