A group of residents in Sinclair, Man., are concerned about the effects of oil batteries and have filed a lawsuit to force the provincial government to do an environmental assessment.

Lawyer Myfanwy Bowman of Winnipeg's Public Interest Law Centre is representing the residents as a group called the Group Advocating Safe Petroleum Emissions of Canada Inc.

She says her clients realize how much the Sinclair battery - a facility designed to separate crude oil, salt water and natural gas - means to the local economy, and are not trying to close the battery or discourage oil business in the area.

"They're not trying to shut down the industry. They recognize that (it) is important to the economic development of the Province of Manitoba and to their friends and neighbours. What they want to have is proper environmental licensing in place so that they and the other people living around batteries can feel comfortable that they're safe."

Tundra Oil and Gas Ltd. president Roland Moberg says that his company has followed procedure for licensing and operating a battery under the Oil and Gas Act.

"This battery was properly licensed. We applied for a permit to construct the battery under the current Oil and Gas Act and regulations. Subsequently, once it was built it was inspected and we received a licence to operate it," says Moberg. "This is really a model battery. We've built it to high standards."

Moberg explains that the battery produces only "sweet" gas, with no hydrogen sulphide and low gas content. He says what the battery flares is the same as what burns in household natural gas furnaces.

"What we're flaring today is mostly methane. When you burn methane, you get water vapour and carbon dioxide, the same as any household burning natural gas in their furnaces."

Moberg calculated that every day, Sinclair flares off the equivalent of 217 households' daily consumption of natural gas.

"This is a pittance compared to any flaring anywhere else - even west to Saskatchewan or Alberta."

The lawsuit is related to an existing claim over a battery in Tilston, Man., also owned by Tundra, in which the plaintiffs allege health problems from living near the battery.

Several families now involved in the Group Advocating Safe Petroleum Emissions of Canada Inc. have moved from Tilston.

Bowman says that the group is not asking for anything new from the province, but simply wants the government to enforce licensing regulations that exist under the Environment Act.

"Right now, the province says that doesn't apply to batteries, exclusively governed by the Oil and Gas Act. In fairness, the act does contain some provisions that deal with environmental protection, but not to the same extent that the Environment Act does.

"One of the things that concern my clients most about the Oil and Gas Act is that it's administered by the petroleum branch of Industry, Economic Development and Mines," says Bowman. "The petroleum branch's job under the act is to promote the development of the oil and gas industry, which in and of itself is not a bad thing. (But) if your job is to promote the industry, it's very difficult then to also be responsible for environmental protection.

"What they'd like to see is the petroleum branch do what it does best - promote the industry - and let (Manitoba Conservation's environmental assessment and licensing branch) do what it does best, which is environmental protection," says Bowman.

A spokesman for the Department of Industry, Economic Development and Mines says that in October 2001, the government updated the oil and gas legislation by introducing industry-wide regulatory amendments that deal with the design, construction and operation of batteries to protect the environment.

"Batteries are excluded as a class of development under the Environment Act because (they are already) covered under the oil and gas legislation. The Oil and Gas Act contains environmental operating standards for the industry, including specific provisions dealing with batteries," says Charles McDougall, press secretary for Industry Minister Jim Rondeau.

"In general, we're concerned about (health and environmental standards) and this is why it has been addressed and why we've made amendments to strengthen the legislation."

(Barbara Chabai can be reached at chabai@businessedge.ca)