>burning of heavy fuel oils which Quebec is the biggest consumer of in Canada, have much the same types of negative health effects.

It is also nice to see a direct acknowledgment that hydraulic fracturing technology has been used for a long time to develop ‘tight gas’ fields before it was used to develop shale fields. There is little doubt today’s technology is better and going back to old technologies for natural gas production makes little sense.

The article refers to operators venting methane to the atmosphere. Venting and flaring are strictly controlled in Western Canada as part of a decades-long program to reduce fugitive emissions.

Western Canadians are the best in the world at onshore natural gas development. We have access to the same technology as Americans with better regulatory outcomes. Alberta has been studying fugitive emissions for some time and you can see the >VISIT MIKE'S BLOG