Engineers now required for vertical closed loop geothermal systems

The Ontario Government has strengthened its rules for drilling vertical closed loop geothermal systems.

The new rules have taken immediate effect under Ontario Regulation 98/12. They require geothermal installers to obtain an environmental compliance approval for a system and to consult with a certified geoscientist or engineer before drilling. They also have to develop an emergency plan before drilling.

The announcement came after a contractor drilling a geothermal well in Oakville, Ontario struck a natural gas deposit hundreds of feet deep in the earth.

The provincial Ministry of the Environment is going to consult with stakeholders in the coming months.

According to the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition, since 2008 more than 8,800 geothermal systems have been installed in Ontario. Approximately 15 per cent of the earth energy systems in Ontario are closed loop vertical.