Alberta Oil Leak Into Week 10 - Can It Be Stopped?

Alberta Oil Leak Into Week 10 - Can It Be Stopped?

Nine weeks ago, oil near a tar sands extraction site in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, began to leak and ooze from the ground. It is currently wending its way through a nearby swampy forest, blackening vegetation and killing wildlife. It shows no signs of stopping. Even worse, scientists have no idea where it's coming from or what to do about it.

Twenty-six thousand barrels of watery oil have already been removed from the area, but the efforts seem to be fruitless given the fact that as of now, the gushing crude cannot be stopped, and the actual source of the leak is unknown. The leak began, however, after Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. began extracting oil from beneath the ground by injecting ultra-hot, high-pressure steam into it, which allows crude to be pumped to the surface. It's called "cyclic steam stimulation (CSS)" in the industry, but concerned environmentalists will undoubtedly think of fracking, another practice that tampers with the earth, in that case to extract natural gas.

CSS was introduced by Shell, the big oil corporation with a filthy legacy of criminal action and environmental destruction, and has only been in heavy use in recent years, particularly in California and Venezuela. Along with train explosions, drilling rig blowouts, and leaking pipelines, all of which have occurred this year, CSS is another operation that can be added to the list of bad ideas.

"Everybody is freaking out about this," said a scientist who had been to the spill site. "We don't understand what happened. Nobody really understands how to stop it from leaking, or if they do, they haven't put the measures into place."

Bob Curran, a spokesman for Alberta Energy Regulator, a government agency that oversees oil operation sites, said what experts do know is that the leak is basically the result of "cracks in the ground," with "bitumen emulsion seeping out of those cracks." But they have so far been unable to pin down those cracks. "The challenges are basically figuring out what happened and then how to stop it."

Nikki Booth, spokesperson from Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resources Development, said, "We do know some animals [in the affected area] have already died, including waterfowl; beavers; tadpoles and frogs; and shrews."

Alberta Energy Regulator has since ordered Canadian Natural Resources to cease all operations until the leak is stopped.

The seemingly innumerable cases-in-point as to why oil and gas extraction are highly dangerous merely add fuel (so to speak) to the fire in terms of the Keystone XL project, which has infuriated environmental activists. President Obama said that that pipeline, which would transport crude from Alberta to the U.S., would be subjected to a study on whether it would increase greenhouse gas emissions, before being approved.

Chris Severson-Baker, managing director of clean energy advocacy group the Pembina Institute, remarked, "At this point, what can actually be done to prevent the leak from continuing to occur? I don't think there's anything. They don't even know whether this emulsion has impacted groundwater."

"This is a new kind of oil spill," agreed Greenpeace energy analyst Keith Stewart. "And there is no 'off' button. You can't cap it like a conventional oil well and you can't turn off a valve like on a pipeline." With CSS, he added, "you're pressuring the oil bed so hard that it's no wonder that it blows out. This means the oil will continue to leak until that pressure is relieved, which means the bitumen could be seeping from the ground for months."

Article Source: People's World


Alberta Leaks Prompt Questions Over Oilsands Extraction

CBC NEWS - Bitumen emulsion continues to leak into a section of Boreal forest in northeast Alberta owned by Canada's military, raising concerns about "huff and puff" extraction technology as industry experts attempt to determine the cause of the ongoing spill.

There have been four leaks at Canadian Natural Resources Ltd's Primrose Lake site on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range since May 20. The site is near the Saskatchewan border but is restricted to CNRL staff, contractors, and government investigators, meaning the extent of the damage isn't widely known.

Continue Reading This Article

It Can't Happen Here? But it IS Happening There!

Tar sands oil has been leaking into the Alberta, Canada countryside for months now - but the operators of the broken pipeline still have no idea where the oil is coming from - or how to stop the leak. Shouldn't this disaster up North be a wake-up call to us all - about the future America faces if the Keystone XL pipeline is approved?

enafarzh-CNzh-TWdanltlfifrdeiwhihuiditjakomsnofaplptruesswsvthtrukurvi

follow InnerSelf on

facebook icontwitter iconyoutube iconinstagram iconpintrest iconrss icon

 Get The Latest By Email

Weekly Magazine Daily Inspiration

LATEST VIDEOS

can we cool the planet 7 22
Can We Cool The Planet?
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Over the past century, human activities…
i5w7rk3a
The Devastating Impact of 3C Global Warming
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Global warming is a pressing issue that poses severe threats to our planet and all its inhabitants. In recent years,…
The Great Climate Migration Has Begun
The Great Climate Migration Has Begun
by Super User
The climate crisis is forcing thousands around the world to flee as their homes become increasingly uninhabitable.
The Last Ice Age Tells Us Why We Need To Care About A 2℃ Change In Temperature
The Last Ice Age Tells Us Why We Need To Care About A 2℃ Change In Temperature
by Alan N Williams, et al
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that without a substantial decrease…
The Caspian Sea Is Set To Fall By 9 Metres Or More This Century
The Caspian Sea Is Set To Fall By 9 Metres Or More This Century
by Frank Wesselingh and Matteo Lattuada
Imagine you are on the coast, looking out to sea. In front of you lies 100 metres of barren sand that looks like a…
Five Climate Disbeliefs: A Crash Course In Climate Misinformation
The Five Climate Disbeliefs: A Crash Course In Climate Misinformation
by John Cook
This video is a crash course in climate misinformation, summarizing the key arguments used to cast doubt on the reality…
The Arctic Hasn't Been This Warm For 3 Million Years and That Means Big Changes For The Planet
The Arctic Hasn't Been This Warm For 3 Million Years and That Means Big Changes For The Planet
by Julie Brigham-Grette and Steve Petsch
Every year, sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean shrinks to a low point in mid-September. This year it measures just 1.44…
What Is A Hurricane Storm Surge and Why Is It So Dangerous?
What Is A Hurricane Storm Surge and Why Is It So Dangerous?
by Anthony C. Didlake Jr
As Hurricane Sally headed for the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, September 15, 2020, forecasters warned of a…

LATEST ARTICLES

global boiling is here 7 29
U.N. Warns: The Era of Global Boiling Has Arrived
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
The world faces an unprecedented climate crisis as temperatures soar and heat records are shattered across the globe.
amoc map 7 26
The Unseen Tipping Point: Understanding the Potential Impact of an AMOC Shutdown
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
The Unseen Tipping Point: Understanding the Potential Impact of an AMOC Shutdown Have you ever heard of the Atlantic…
can we cool the planet 7 22
Can We Cool The Planet?
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Over the past century, human activities…
global hungry 7 22
The Rising Tide of Global Hunger: Pandemic, Climate & Conflict Fuel Food Insecurity
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
In recent years, the world has witnessed a distressing surge in global hunger, painting a bleak picture of food…
keeping cool 7 20
Beat the Heat: Your Guide to Staying Safe in Extreme Temperatures
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
As the temperatures rise during the summer months, it's important to be aware of the risks associated with extreme heat.
i5w7rk3a
The Devastating Impact of 3C Global Warming
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Global warming is a pressing issue that poses severe threats to our planet and all its inhabitants. In recent years,…
how hot is too hot 7 19
How Hot is Too Hot? The Risks of Extreme Heat on the Human Body
by W. Larry Kenney, Penn State et al
The answer goes beyond the temperature you see on the thermometer. It’s also about humidity. Our research is designed…
european heatwave 7 18
European Heatwave: What’s Causing It And Is Climate Change To Blame?
by Emma Hill and Ben Vivian, Coventry University
Europe is currently in the midst of a heatwave. Italy, in particular, is expected to face blistering heat, with…

Early in the morning on Dec. 13, 1941, the citizens of Huaraz, Peru, heard a terrifying rumble echo across the valley. Within minutes, a torrent of water, ice and rocks had poured over the city,...

Three species of weasels, once common in North America, are likely in decline, including a species that’s considered the world’s smallest carnivore, according to a new study.

Wood is an ancient material humans have been using for millions of years, for the construction of housing, ships and as a source of fuel for burning. It’s also a renewable source, and one way to...

We can learn a lot about climate change from Venus, our sister planet. Venus currently has a surface temperature of 450℃ (the temperature of an oven’s self-cleaning cycle) and an atmosphere...

The wildfire season in western North America keeps setting new records and the outlook for the coming summer seems grim.

A move to “make buses the transport of choice, reducing the number of car journeys and improving quality of life for millions” has been launched as part of a national bus strategy in the UK.


 Get The Latest By Email

Weekly Magazine Daily Inspiration

New Attitudes - New Possibilities

InnerSelf.comClimateImpactNews.com | InnerPower.net
MightyNatural.com | WholisticPolitics.com | InnerSelf Market
Copyright ©1985 - 2021 InnerSelf Publications. All Rights Reserved.