New Zealand reviews best practices for fracking

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, June 4 (UPI) -- The New Zealand government said Wednesday it could safely develop its petroleum resources safely even if hydraulic fracturing is employed.

Members of the New Zealand Parliament published a 98-page report outlining guidelines for onshore oil and gas development. The document offers recommendations on best practices ranging from well completions to the seismic surveys used to get a better understanding of the reserve potential of a particular oil or gas field.

New Zealand Environment Minister Amy Adams described the report as a useful way to manage the environmental effects of onshore oil and gas development, including the use of hydraulic fracturing.

"The environmental risks of onshore petroleum development, including hydraulic fracturing, can be effectively managed if best practice is followed," she said in a statement Wednesday. "These guidelines provide clear direction so that hydraulic fracturing is carried out in a robust, controlled and well regulated manner."

Some of the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing are viewed as a threat to groundwater supplies. The drilling process itself has been linked to small-scale earthquakes in some of the countries where it's been employed.

The government said the drilling practice, dubbed fracking, has been used for more than 20 years in New Zealand.

Parliament's report said the oil and gas industry is a key part of the New Zealand economy. Oil is the country's fourth-largest export commodity.