Page 7 - April2015Spectrum
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In Alberta, we learned that the pipeline industry is the most regulated vourite posters I saw in Alberta said, “Nature spilled Oil all over the place,
industry in Canada (and rightfully so) and the safety record over the past we’re just cleaning it up.” I’m not an environmental expert but honestly,
10 years is amazing – far better than the record for rail transport of oil. In that is exactly what it looked like to me.
the past 10 years of monitoring, 99.9995% of all the oil moved by pipe There are two primary methods for extracting the oil in the Oil Sands. Less
have reached the intended destination incident free. Granted there have than 20% of the oil is close enough to the surface to be surface mined and
been some incidents, but since those, controls get tighter, emergency the balance is extracted by the In Situ method - greatly simpliied, this is
shut off valves get more frequent, and disaster remedies get better. Oil is a process where they push hot steam down one pipe, it does its agitation
critical to the entire Canadian economy, we’d be in a very different place of the oil/sand/clay below the surface and the separated oil is pumped up
right now without Oil exports and without oil extraction in Alberta. The another pipe. The surface mining process of extraction, separation and rec-
Canadian Chamber of Commerce quotes in their presentation, that because lamation is incredible. The “cleaned” clay and sand is placed back where it
we don’t transport more oil through pipelines, we suffer, “We’re losing came from, and a completely reclaimed, replanted, oil-free environment is
some $50 million every single day—$18-19 billion every year - because left behind.
our resources are landlocked.” Clearly the
West-East pipeline across Canada, the Many of the rehabilitation methods employed in
pipeline through to BC, and the Keystone the Oil Sands were developed with the assistance
Pipeline to the Gulf Coast will have to and oversight of the local Aboriginal community,
happen. There are currently about 130,000 who help to ensure that the materials, ground
Kilometers of pipeline in Canada and the cover and plantings indigenous to the site are
US, that move 97% of natural gas and oil replaced. We visited “Pond One” or Wapisiw
crude produced in Canada (about 3.3 mil- Outlook, where 200 hectares has recently been
lion barrels a day of crude oil). My con- reclaimed. Hundreds of thousands of trees were
cern is that there has been a dramatic in- planted, natural water habitats now have frog
crease in crude being shipped via rail, and migrants, the raptors are back, and so are the
we’ve repeatedly and increasingly seen deer. Speaking to some of the people who were
the devastation this can cause. Certainly there mining that site, and who are now reclaim-
there have been and will be incidents ing it, I could hear the emotion in their voices.
in pipeline delivery, but common sense They are proud of what they and their employers
would dictate that it has to be safer than are doing.
having millions of barrels a day riding our I really think you have to see the Athabasca Oil
rail lines. In the accompanying graphics, Sands irst hand to get an accurate sense of what
igure 1 shows the rail terminals used for is happening. You need to see what the ground
oil in 2010 and igure 2 shows the growth looks like before the bitumen has been removed,
in the rail terminals to 2013, just three and then see the reclaimed areas where the sand
years later. Since the oil is getting moved, is a soft white, the clay is a beautiful grey and the
and will continue to, I would prefer to see grasses grow to a lush bright green. It truly feels
it done in the safest manner possible. clean and peaceful walking around Wapisiw.
And inally, my eyes were opened to the Whether it’s gold, silver, iron ore, water or oil,
real impact of the Oil Sands on the immediate environment. I was most in- we’re using the resources of our planet to survive and thrive and we need to
terested to learn more about this, probably because of the horror stories we be responsible in our recovery, use, disposal and rehabilitation. What I saw
have all read about “dirty oil”, massive environmental disasters, and ponds in Alberta seems to me to be very responsible.
of sticky, sloppy oil all over the place. Of course, when the oil companies Unless and until we are all willing to give up our cars and our cozy warm
stand up and claim that what they are doing is a good thing, they know they houses and move to that lean-to in the woods, we will be dependent on oil
will have a bulls eye on their back. But facts are facts and until you see it for many years to come. This is one of Canada’s most vital resources and a
for yourself, you simply do not have the complete picture. Did you know major key to the success of our economy. Cambridge businesses would do
that, in the heat of the summer sun, you can actually see the bitumen (oil) well to learn more about the opportunities that await them and I welcome
oozing out of the banks of the Athabasca River and that this seepage is a your calls and inquiries if you’d like my help with the process. Watch for
natural occurrence? Did you know if you’re a golfer like I am, playing golf our coming programs in partnership with the City of Cambridge to get you
in Fort McMurray is hazardous to your shoes? When you end up in a sand connected, help you become a supplier and build not only the Canadian
trap, it’s likely you’ll see oil oozing out of the lip of the trap. One of my fa- economy, but ours right here at home.
www.cambridgechamber.com Spring 2015 7
industry in Canada (and rightfully so) and the safety record over the past we’re just cleaning it up.” I’m not an environmental expert but honestly,
10 years is amazing – far better than the record for rail transport of oil. In that is exactly what it looked like to me.
the past 10 years of monitoring, 99.9995% of all the oil moved by pipe There are two primary methods for extracting the oil in the Oil Sands. Less
have reached the intended destination incident free. Granted there have than 20% of the oil is close enough to the surface to be surface mined and
been some incidents, but since those, controls get tighter, emergency the balance is extracted by the In Situ method - greatly simpliied, this is
shut off valves get more frequent, and disaster remedies get better. Oil is a process where they push hot steam down one pipe, it does its agitation
critical to the entire Canadian economy, we’d be in a very different place of the oil/sand/clay below the surface and the separated oil is pumped up
right now without Oil exports and without oil extraction in Alberta. The another pipe. The surface mining process of extraction, separation and rec-
Canadian Chamber of Commerce quotes in their presentation, that because lamation is incredible. The “cleaned” clay and sand is placed back where it
we don’t transport more oil through pipelines, we suffer, “We’re losing came from, and a completely reclaimed, replanted, oil-free environment is
some $50 million every single day—$18-19 billion every year - because left behind.
our resources are landlocked.” Clearly the
West-East pipeline across Canada, the Many of the rehabilitation methods employed in
pipeline through to BC, and the Keystone the Oil Sands were developed with the assistance
Pipeline to the Gulf Coast will have to and oversight of the local Aboriginal community,
happen. There are currently about 130,000 who help to ensure that the materials, ground
Kilometers of pipeline in Canada and the cover and plantings indigenous to the site are
US, that move 97% of natural gas and oil replaced. We visited “Pond One” or Wapisiw
crude produced in Canada (about 3.3 mil- Outlook, where 200 hectares has recently been
lion barrels a day of crude oil). My con- reclaimed. Hundreds of thousands of trees were
cern is that there has been a dramatic in- planted, natural water habitats now have frog
crease in crude being shipped via rail, and migrants, the raptors are back, and so are the
we’ve repeatedly and increasingly seen deer. Speaking to some of the people who were
the devastation this can cause. Certainly there mining that site, and who are now reclaim-
there have been and will be incidents ing it, I could hear the emotion in their voices.
in pipeline delivery, but common sense They are proud of what they and their employers
would dictate that it has to be safer than are doing.
having millions of barrels a day riding our I really think you have to see the Athabasca Oil
rail lines. In the accompanying graphics, Sands irst hand to get an accurate sense of what
igure 1 shows the rail terminals used for is happening. You need to see what the ground
oil in 2010 and igure 2 shows the growth looks like before the bitumen has been removed,
in the rail terminals to 2013, just three and then see the reclaimed areas where the sand
years later. Since the oil is getting moved, is a soft white, the clay is a beautiful grey and the
and will continue to, I would prefer to see grasses grow to a lush bright green. It truly feels
it done in the safest manner possible. clean and peaceful walking around Wapisiw.
And inally, my eyes were opened to the Whether it’s gold, silver, iron ore, water or oil,
real impact of the Oil Sands on the immediate environment. I was most in- we’re using the resources of our planet to survive and thrive and we need to
terested to learn more about this, probably because of the horror stories we be responsible in our recovery, use, disposal and rehabilitation. What I saw
have all read about “dirty oil”, massive environmental disasters, and ponds in Alberta seems to me to be very responsible.
of sticky, sloppy oil all over the place. Of course, when the oil companies Unless and until we are all willing to give up our cars and our cozy warm
stand up and claim that what they are doing is a good thing, they know they houses and move to that lean-to in the woods, we will be dependent on oil
will have a bulls eye on their back. But facts are facts and until you see it for many years to come. This is one of Canada’s most vital resources and a
for yourself, you simply do not have the complete picture. Did you know major key to the success of our economy. Cambridge businesses would do
that, in the heat of the summer sun, you can actually see the bitumen (oil) well to learn more about the opportunities that await them and I welcome
oozing out of the banks of the Athabasca River and that this seepage is a your calls and inquiries if you’d like my help with the process. Watch for
natural occurrence? Did you know if you’re a golfer like I am, playing golf our coming programs in partnership with the City of Cambridge to get you
in Fort McMurray is hazardous to your shoes? When you end up in a sand connected, help you become a supplier and build not only the Canadian
trap, it’s likely you’ll see oil oozing out of the lip of the trap. One of my fa- economy, but ours right here at home.
www.cambridgechamber.com Spring 2015 7
