Shale in Ontario

[please note: this page needs to be updated!]

This map of shale deposits is from the Ministry of Natural Resources.  The map was highlighted in a 2010-2011 report from the Ontario Environmental Commissioner –

At least two companies currently are preparing to frack around Ontario.  Separate pages on this web site highlight Mooncor and Eurogas assets and plans.  These companies also use the names DRGN Resources and Dundee Energy Limited Partnership, respectively.

Companies currently are arranging for shale gas pipeline and petro-chemical processing projects in Ontario.  Some of this gas would come from fracking in neighbouring U.S. states. Companies with facilities in Sarnia-Lambton’s Chemical Valley are seeking out shale gas from the northern U.S.  Will this shale gas come directly from Ontario in the future?

Preparing for extraction in Ontario

This map shows at least some of the 2011 assets of Eurogas corporation –

That map shows the company operating around the Long Point biosphere reserve.

The following map shows lands that Mooncor has targetted for exploration in southwestern Ontario –

Three Great Lakes are threatened by those plans.  Much of Lake Erie has the Marcellus Shale under it, and any fracking near the shores of the Great Lakes could be devastating — for drinking water, and the lake environment in general.  A Marcellus shale map is shown below.

The map for shale exploration in southwestern Ontario also shows threats to the following native territories, which are being targeted: Bkejwanong (AKA Walpole Island), Aamjiwnaang, Kettle Point, Caldwell, the Moravian of the Thames reserve, the Oneida Nation of the Thames, Munsee-Delaware, and the reserve for the Chippewas of the Thames.

The area shown in the above exploration map includes some of the Oak Ridges Moraine area, to the north of Lake Ontario.  Environmentalists already have campaigned to defend that area from other industries.

The Niagara Escarpment biosphere reserve also is being targeted for exploration, and that biosphere only is partially protected from extraction.

It seems that Mooncor plans to begin these operations in Lambton and Chatham-Kent, beside Bkejwanong / Walpole Island).  (Perhaps Mooncor will be waiting to see what responses they receive in Ontario, while they raise funds to expand their operations across the province?)

This map gives at least a rough idea of where the Marcellus shale crosses into Ontario — mainly under Lake Erie –

Ontario also has Antrim shale and Utica shale, elsewhere in the province.

There seem to be three major zones of shale gas sources in Ontario –

• the Kettle Point Formation known as Antrim Shale
• the Collingwood/Blue Mountain formations known as Utica Shale
• the northernmost limit of the Marcellus Shale

There is more information about Ontario shale geology in a 2009 document titled “Shale Gas Opportunities in Southern Ontario – an Update“