Pipeline hearing outcome takes turn

Posted By By Jocelyn Mercer, Editor

Posted 6 days ago

Events have taken a turn for the unexpected after what appeared to be a successful resolution between oil and gas company Pennine Petroleum and Twin Butte landowner Terry Bonertz.

In January an ERCB hearing was held to resolve an ongoing dispute between Bonertz and Pennine over a proposed sweet gas line on his property. Shortly after entering the hearing, the two sides appeared to come to an agreement on the pipeline and the hearing was called off.

However the story doesn’t end there.

Darin Barter, spokesperson for the ERCB, said within weeks of the hearing coming to a close, the ERCB received a request from the landowners to review the pipeline application.

“We’re facing an unusual situation,” said Barter last week.

While Barter said he was not at liberty to discuss the reasoning behind the request to review the application, he said the ERCB was investigating the matter.

“If we feel the landowners have a valid point we will pull the licence,” he said.

Despite receiving approval to go ahead with the pipeline, the request for a review means that Pennine will have to wait until the ERCB makes a decision on the request.