Primer on Unconventional Oil and Gas Development (Fracking)

The document outlines the technical processes of hydraulic fracturing and its associated risks, including greenhouse gas emissions during drilling and the release of carcinogens and radioactive materials in 'produce-water'. It synthesizes literature linking UOGD to adverse birth outcomes, childhood cancers, and increased mortality. Additionally, it criticizes the Nova Scotia government's Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment Program (SERDIP), managed by Dalhousie University, for lacking a clear health research plan and allowing the government to control the publication of findings.

• Unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) involves three technical phases: borehole drilling, which has higher greenhouse gas emissions than other phases; hydraulic stimulation, using over 1,000 often proprietary chemical compounds; and production, which can contaminate agricultural areas with 'produce-water' containing arsenic, mercury, and naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMS).
• Research indicates a strong correlation between proximity to UOGD wells and adverse infant health outcomes, including lower birth weights, pre-term births, and congenital defects such as spina bifida, limb reduction defects, and heart defects.
• UOGD exposure is linked to increased rates of childhood cancer, specifically lymphomas and acute lymphocytic leukemia, particularly for children living within 1 to 2 km of a well.
• Adult populations exposed to UOGD show higher rates of hospitalization for heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and ischemic heart disease, as well as increased overall mortality rates and decreased life expectancy.
• The Nova Scotia government's Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment Program (SERDIP), overseen by Dalhousie University, is criticized for lacking a transparent health research plan, failing to require Research Ethics Board approval for health-related inquiries, and granting the province absolute control over whether research data is published.
• The Nova Scotia government estimates the province contains 7 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas in the Windsor and Cumberland basins, which it claims could meet provincial power needs for 200 to 240 years.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (2026). Primer on Unconventional Oil and Gas Development (Fracking). https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CAPE-NS-Primer-on-hydraulic-fracturing-fracking-June-18_2026-compressed-1.pdf

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Primer on Unconventional Oil and Gas Development (Fracking). 2026. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CAPE-NS-Primer-on-hydraulic-fracturing-fracking-June-18_2026-compressed-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Primer on Unconventional Oil and Gas Development (Fracking) |date=18 June 2026 |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CAPE-NS-Primer-on-hydraulic-fracturing-fracking-June-18_2026-compressed-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironment2026primer, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Primer on Unconventional Oil and Gas Development (Fracking)}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CAPE-NS-Primer-on-hydraulic-fracturing-fracking-June-18_2026-compressed-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }