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2014-12-22 22:00:29 UTC
The Canadian Press - Published Saturday, Dec. 20 2014
Oil sands leak that contaminated aquifer renews technology questions
EDMONTON —
A Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. oilsands operation that has contaminated a
groundwater aquifer is renewing questions about a technology that has already
been linked to another serious leak in northern Alberta.
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The Alberta Energy Regulator says CNRL reported a break in a well at its Wolf
Lake high pressure cyclic steam stimulation project in late October, and that
the company later discovered elevated levels of hydrocarbons in the aquifer
about 60 kilometres northwest of Cold Lake.
The area is located about 10 kilometres away from the company’s Primrose East
property where a bitumen-water mixture was found oozing to the surface last year.
CNRL was using the same steam method there as well.
“This is a problematic technology. There’s been problems dating back to 2009.
And I think Albertans really have to ask themselves, how many times does this
company get to say, ‘Oops, we did it again,’ before the government takes
proactive action to deal with this technology, which clearly is riskier than
this company claims?” Keith Stewart of Greenpeace Canada said in an interview
on Saturday.
High-pressure cyclic steam stimulation — often described as “huff and puff” —
is a process that alternates between injecting steam and drawing the softened
bitumen to the surface.
Earlier this year, the province’s energy watchdog suggested a link between the
process and old drill holes in the Primrose area, which it said may have
provided paths for fluids to flow to the surface.
CNRL promised to switch to a low-pressure process known as steam flooding when
it sought approval to resume crude extraction from Area 1 of its Primrose East
property. It was granted permission in September to resume work at the site.
Ryan Bartlett, a spokesman for the regulator, said Saturday that he didn’t know
whether drill holes may have played a role in the contamination at Wolf Lake.
“We’re still investigating what the cause is, so I wouldn’t want to speculate,”
Bartlett said, noting the high pressure system is used by other companies
elsewhere in Alberta.
CNRL spokeswoman Julie Woo said in a brief email statement that both the
Primrose and Wolf Lake projects used the same technology.
“Canadian Natural has detected elevated levels of hydrocarbons deep underground
in a new monitoring well. We will continue to work closely with the Alberta
Energy Regulator (AER) to monitor and manage the situation,” the email stated.
The regulator said the well at Wolf Lake has stopped operating and CNRL can’t
resume operations until it meets regulatory requirements.
Bartlett earlier said that public health and safety are not at risk and the
nearest private water wells are 15 kilometres away.
He said CNRL will be required to clean up the aquifer.
Stewart, however, said it could take months for the steam to cool and the
pressure to drop. He said that means any leaks from the well could continue
for months.
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He also expressed doubts that a cleanup is possible. . . .
“I don’t know how you get benzine out of an aquifer. There’s no process for
filtering it out. It’s basically a mix of carcinogenic chemicals into this
underground water system. It’s not like you can put in a scrubber and clean
it all up,” Stewart said.
“The only solution to this is prevention, to actually make sure the technology
being used it safe and not just taking the company’s word for it but actually
having a strong independent regulator who’s looking after the public’s interest
rather than issuing orders after the leak has happened.”
The investigation into what went wrong at Primrose is ongoing. Bartlett said a
full report is due in the first quarter of 2015.
Some 1.2 million litres of the bitumen-water emulsion have been recovered and
20.7 hectares have been affected. CNRL said over the summer that clean-up at
Primrose is complete.
Canadian Natural pipeline leaks 60,000 litres of crude: Alberta regulator
Oil sands leak that contaminated aquifer renews technology questions
EDMONTON —
A Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. oilsands operation that has contaminated a
groundwater aquifer is renewing questions about a technology that has already
been linked to another serious leak in northern Alberta.
Loading Image...
The Alberta Energy Regulator says CNRL reported a break in a well at its Wolf
Lake high pressure cyclic steam stimulation project in late October, and that
the company later discovered elevated levels of hydrocarbons in the aquifer
about 60 kilometres northwest of Cold Lake.
The area is located about 10 kilometres away from the company’s Primrose East
property where a bitumen-water mixture was found oozing to the surface last year.
CNRL was using the same steam method there as well.
“This is a problematic technology. There’s been problems dating back to 2009.
And I think Albertans really have to ask themselves, how many times does this
company get to say, ‘Oops, we did it again,’ before the government takes
proactive action to deal with this technology, which clearly is riskier than
this company claims?” Keith Stewart of Greenpeace Canada said in an interview
on Saturday.
High-pressure cyclic steam stimulation — often described as “huff and puff” —
is a process that alternates between injecting steam and drawing the softened
bitumen to the surface.
Earlier this year, the province’s energy watchdog suggested a link between the
process and old drill holes in the Primrose area, which it said may have
provided paths for fluids to flow to the surface.
CNRL promised to switch to a low-pressure process known as steam flooding when
it sought approval to resume crude extraction from Area 1 of its Primrose East
property. It was granted permission in September to resume work at the site.
Ryan Bartlett, a spokesman for the regulator, said Saturday that he didn’t know
whether drill holes may have played a role in the contamination at Wolf Lake.
“We’re still investigating what the cause is, so I wouldn’t want to speculate,”
Bartlett said, noting the high pressure system is used by other companies
elsewhere in Alberta.
CNRL spokeswoman Julie Woo said in a brief email statement that both the
Primrose and Wolf Lake projects used the same technology.
“Canadian Natural has detected elevated levels of hydrocarbons deep underground
in a new monitoring well. We will continue to work closely with the Alberta
Energy Regulator (AER) to monitor and manage the situation,” the email stated.
The regulator said the well at Wolf Lake has stopped operating and CNRL can’t
resume operations until it meets regulatory requirements.
Bartlett earlier said that public health and safety are not at risk and the
nearest private water wells are 15 kilometres away.
He said CNRL will be required to clean up the aquifer.
Stewart, however, said it could take months for the steam to cool and the
pressure to drop. He said that means any leaks from the well could continue
for months.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
He also expressed doubts that a cleanup is possible. . . .
“I don’t know how you get benzine out of an aquifer. There’s no process for
filtering it out. It’s basically a mix of carcinogenic chemicals into this
underground water system. It’s not like you can put in a scrubber and clean
it all up,” Stewart said.
“The only solution to this is prevention, to actually make sure the technology
being used it safe and not just taking the company’s word for it but actually
having a strong independent regulator who’s looking after the public’s interest
rather than issuing orders after the leak has happened.”
The investigation into what went wrong at Primrose is ongoing. Bartlett said a
full report is due in the first quarter of 2015.
Some 1.2 million litres of the bitumen-water emulsion have been recovered and
20.7 hectares have been affected. CNRL said over the summer that clean-up at
Primrose is complete.
Canadian Natural pipeline leaks 60,000 litres of crude: Alberta regulator
