Oil Spillage in Cold Lake - Term Paper Example

Oil Spillage in Cold Lake al Affiliation Cold Lake is a found in Northeastern Alberta, Canada. It is d after the lake which it is situated. The city has a population of around 15 000 people. The city’s economy is linked to the military spending at CFB Cold Lake. The region is also prominent for its oil and gas exploration and production. The oil and gas exploration has however been marred by the leakages found to have affected the environment. In 2013 it was realized that oil has been sipping From Northern Alberta oil sands. This was shocking news to the public and the entire Canadian Natural Resources limited. The major oil spill was caused by bitumen sipping through the soil and since the Cold Lake Oil Deposits are located near Cold Lake in Alberta, it has led to the killing of wildlife. The oil sipping to the nearby lake Alberta has called for massive reaction from the public and groups calling for the closure of the oil companies near the Lake. The pressure directed on the government also wanted Forensic Analysis to be done on the water samples in the underground wells in the area and also projection of underground water models to establish whether there was contamination of the underground water. With the concerns that the contamination and the spillage was more than was even expected peaceful demonstrations were called upon to pressure the government to close the processes near the Lake. At the site in Question, steam injection wells also referred to as in-situ methods are used to produce bitumen instead of more recognizable open-pit oil sands mining which has raised eyebrows as one of the reasons behind the massive spillage. More than four CNRL leakages at the primrose site were reported in 2013 which was the main reason for the environmental concerns that followed henceforth. Though the government has been arguing that the the methods used-in situ method has reduced land disturbance, looking at the environmental concern and the Cold Lake contamination at stake real steps needs to be taken on the issue. The re4ported deaths of birds, small mammals and amphibians has been attributed to the more than 10, 000 barrels of Bitumen that have spilled from the four Primrose sites which covers the approximate 14 hectare area footprint. Canadian Natural Resources Limited has gone further to describe the unnamed water body as a 1.5 meter deep shallow slough which has no fish. It is further not connected to any other water body. The most contested and argued resolution was to move the water body by receiving the government’s environmental order. This has been viewed as the least environmentally impactful step and offers the best approach that would contain the whole situation. On July, 2013, the Canadian Natural Resources Limited attributed the oil seepage to a mechanical failure at one of the old wells at the Cold Lake Air Weapons range. This paper in short tries to address the whole issue of the Oil Spillage at Clod Lake and evaluate the possible measures that can reverse the damage caused. Keywords: Cold Lake, Seepage, CNRL, Contamination, Bitumen, Oil, Canada Introduction Oil spills have always been a great concern to many countries especially when the affected area involves large volumes of oil. Many ships in the ocean leak much oil which concurrently leads to the death of aquatic life. This has been of environmental concern and the oil drilling in the lakes and oceans has also been in question. In June 2013 it was realized that there has been a massive spillage of oil near the tar sands extraction site in Cold Lake Alberta, Canada. The oil is reported to be edging its way through the nearby swampy forest and the effects currently seen include;- Blackening of vegetation: this is caused by the tar interfering with the photosynthetic processes of the plant and the covering of the plant by the product. Death of animals in the region. The safety of the underground extraction methods has been really questioned by the scientists who have been at the leakage site to evaluate the situation. It is sad that the Canadian government has been unable to stop the underground blowout which has led to the death of numerous animals and the contamination of a lake. The greatest worry that could have been impacted on the environment would be the mixing of the oil spillage with the underground aquifers and thereby contaminating the underground water. The leak has been attributed to a failed well casing. More than one million liters of bitumen has so far been reported to have seeped to the surface according to the evaluation of the situation by analysts. The cleanup effort that has attracted $40 million has been started and one of the evident and possible solutions is the displacing of the water body to ensure that no more contamination as clean up takes place. The leaks have been contained and it is hoped that a solution will yield in the near future. The stake holders involved in this tussle include;- 1. The Canadian Government;- The Canadian government has the overall mandate to oversee all the processes that are going on in the country. With the current nature of situations where there have been identified leakages it is held liable and it owes the citizens a good explanation and a way forward to avert the damage that can be impacted by the leaking bitumen and generally hydrocarbons. 2. Canadian Natural Resources Limited This is the body that is in charge of all the activities going on in mining and gas and oil exploration. It has the mandate to ensure that the activities that are being populated are friendly to the environment and does not impact negative effect either on the people or the environment around. With the finding of the leakages that have been leaking for some time it is bound to lay down good strategies in alliance with all the other stake holders and establish a solution to the whole issue. 3. Forensic Geologists In such a case the work of Forensic Geologists is highly appreciated. It is their role to establish the extent of the leakages and evaluate whether the oil has sank to the ground water. With geologic models it is possible to know when the first leak occurred especially when handling asphalt which is a product of thermally degenerated bitumen. After establishing the relative velocity of the oil in the soil then they can present their findings to the other involved parties to come up with a long serving solution that will cater for the contamination and destruction of the environment. 4. Alberta’s Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Department Environmental activists ensure that all the activities carried out in a nation are friendly to the environment. In our case and in the case of Canada they have been in the fore front to address this issue and especially with the reported death of birds, amphibians and plants they have been ruthless calling for an immediate action that will serve to handle the whole issue. 5. Alberta Energy Since oil and gas are used as energy the energy regulation docket is bound to be in the front run to establish a lasting solution to the issue. This can be made possible be installation of better wells considering that the current leakages were attributed to some leaking and wrongly installed wells. All these stake holders need to come together and address the issue before it is too late. 6. Oil Companies Oil companies play a major role in the oil sand business and so their view should also be considered. The economic factors that shall be affected by any move should also be evaluated well before any step is taken. Let us address the environmental concerns of the leakage. Bitumen and its Environmental Effects Bitumen is comprised of an exceedingly large number of organic molecules which considering the Alberta Oil Sand Bitumen had a range from the simplest organic molecule (CH4) methane and ranging to large polymeric hydrocarbon molecules with molecular weights exceeding 15 000 grams per molecule (CnHn+x). In the Alberta Oil Sand Bitumen, hundreds of molecules which represented different hydrocarbon chains of paraffinic, aromatic, olefin and heterocyclic structures with very different functional groups were identified. With majority of the compounds being neutral, others have been found to possess acidic and basic properties which add to the effect that they cause to the environment. Other groups found in the compounds are capable of forming salts that way affecting the plants and animals that are in the ecosystem in case of the release. The unstable molecules which form the lesser percentage of the bitumen molecules can undergo thermal decomposition in temperatures way below room temperature. This poses a great danger as some possess radioactive properties that have far felt long term and short term effects to animals and plants. It has already been established that slow thermal processes are already taking place in some of the major oil sand formations in Alberta. The mineral matter present in bitumen is identified as the catalytic component that accelerates the thermal processes. The effects of the thermal processes are felt be both the flora and fauna in the region and looking at the swampy forest and the recorded spill where plants are acquiring a black color scientists have been able to establish the cause of the behavior. Bitumen is distinguished from conventional petroleum by its concentration of low molecular weight hydrocarbons present and the abundance of high molecular weight polymeric materials. The high molecular polymeric materials are amorphous solids which are dissolved in colloidal form in the lower molecular weight liquid constituents and thereby giving bitumen a vicious syrupy consistency. According to Stratsz 2003, the high molecular weight solids are soluble in liquid aromatics such as benzene and also in toluene. They are however insoluble to in paraffins with low molecular weights and therefore it makes it possible for them to be separated from bitumen by the method called n-Pentane precipitation. This is done from a benzene solution of the bitumen. The product gotten from this process is called asphaltene. Asphaltenes are rich oxygen, nitrogen and also have been found to have large amount of sulfur in them. The Asphaltene content in Alberta Oil Sand Bitumen is in the 16-25% range and the percentage concentration per element are as follows;- Carbon – 80% Hydrogen – 8% Sulfur – 9% Oxygen – 2.5% Nitrogen – 1 %, Stratz 2003. In the next chapter we will establish the relationship of these concentrations to the leakage and why they are causing the loss of lives of the plants and animals in the region. Hydrocarbons are known to limit the levels of oxygen that gets to an organism and evaluating the same case here it would be the same case with bitumen. Effect of Oil on Plants and Animals Oil being a hydrocarbon is classified in the following categories. Light volatile hydrocarbons which include light products such as petroleum spirit, gasoline, kerosene, paraffin and automotive fuels. Second there is the group of moderate to heavy oils which include most crude petroleum products such as marine diesel, light fuel oil and lubricating oil. Third there is the group of heavy oils which include waxy crude oil, and chocolate mousse. Residual oils are classified in the group of heavy fuels and they include asphalt and tarry lumps. In our case of Cold Lake we are dealing with asphalt. After most components in bitumen evaporate what is left is mainly the high density asphalt. Let us look at the properties of bitumen and why it is a health hazard. Asphalt has smothering low toxicity and though its effect may take some time to be felt compared to the other lighter hydrocarbons it is still considered a dangerous hydrocarbon. Asphalt is semi solid and does not spread easily. It will form tarry lumps at ambient temperatures but when the temperatures raise it start to flow. Its merging with other compounds in the soil leads to its easier spreading and especially in marshy and swampy areas where the water provides the medium for transport the effects are felt harder. This can make it to spread fast and as it spreads the effects are seen which include the death of plants and animals and the sooty coating found on the leaves and the stems of different plants. It has little amounts of toxic aromatic fractions and it has low toxicity in most environments. However with accumulation like what happened in the Cold Lake where the seepage had been taking place for a long time without notice, it can be really sensitive to the environment. In environments where there are marshes and mangroves the effects are felt harder as due to the high density of the hydrocarbon it can sink faster to the aquifer and in case it gets to the ground water layer then the effect will be felt further and the water will be contaminated in that region. Direct and Indirect Effects of Oil on Marine Animals Some components of the hydrocarbon have direct lethal toxicity on the fauna and this will be seen be an acute number of deaths after it has been introduced in a certain ecosystem. Others do not have a lethal effect but the effects may be seen by the deformation of the organism and acquiring of abnormal characteristics by the organism. This is common in radioactive emitting isotopes found in some of the hydrocarbons. Physical interference with locomotion, feeding or other behaviors of the animal are also among the direct effects of the hydrocarbon. Asphyxia is also common in many animals which lead to heat stress and eventual death of the organism. Accumulation of the hydrocarbons in aquatic organisms can have secondary effects to tertiary consumers like man after feeding on the organisms which had high levels of the hydrocarbons. The indirect effects that are caused by the leakages include;- Starvation of the organisms which is due to selective elimination by oil or specifically by certain functional groups found in the oil. Groups like Cyanide are especially lethal and they can lead to hard felt effects on the organisms. Uncontrolled reproduction has also been witnessed to the organisms which feed on the hydrocarbon products. When this happens the habitat becomes clogged and death I massive numbers is what is reported next. There is disruption of certain species interaction in the community following elimination or weakening of key species and the possible death of predators and key competitors in the environment. Lastly cleanup actions such as substrate alteration or removal have been attributed with habitat modification and the death of many organisms. The cleanup process in Cold Lake is also bound to change the species composition in the area and the effects may be felt by the migration and death of the affected species. The direct and indirect effects caused by the hydrocarbon exposure change between different organisms and the functional groups that are affecting the specific organisms. Effect of Bitumen Spills to the Marshy and Mangrove Ecosystem Devlin et. al.1995. explains that the effects of the oil leakage at Cold Lake have been felt and witnessed in the Marshy and mangrove areas. Let me address the effects of the leakage on such an ecosystem. Mangrove ecosystems, which are generally termed as mangrove swamps or forests are confined tropical and subtropical areas which experience enough rainfall and are mainly marshy. They are predominant on relatively flat sheltered intertidal areas with soft sediment rocks. The dominant tree species on such areas include distinctive species of salt-tolerant species. These plants and trees and plants root in the organically rich and anoxic sediment and then they rise through shallow water into the air to develop a full canopy. The species exhibit major similarities. Mangroves are vulnerable habitats that can easily be affected by a change in the environment. Oil spilled in or entering a mangrove will be absorbed partially on the particulate matter in the water column and also on the trees and plants’ stems and the exposed sediments. The sediments will act as a sink for the oils and due to the absence of wave energy this will lead to very slow dispersion and breakdown of the oil. Defoliation and dying back are some of effects of contamination by oil leaks in such an area. Furthermore, reduced seed germination success will be experienced a factor that further leads to desertification of the land. According to Burger, 1993, smothering of Pneumatophores will cause asphyxiation of the root system and upset the salt balancing mechanism of the plant; this increased osmotic pressure in the plant will lead to its dying back. However, the survival and the extent of dispersion of the oil will be determined by some other factors which include the type of soil and the climatic conditions. For instance in the case of long rains, a leakage from the source will be dispersed faster due to the water available as a medium of transport. Oil penetration of sediments and detritus may lead to severe contamination of the food relationships in a given ecosystem. In the Cold Lake, there were reported deaths of amphibians and birds. Looking at that, it implies that due to those deaths, the food web and chains in the given area will be affected, Burger 1993. Due to such imbalance some organisms may increase rapidly yielding to unreasonable competition or some may be predated and end up becoming extinct. The organisms inhabiting a mangrove area include fish, sea turtles and birds. These organisms are so sensitive to any change and they will be adversely affected in case of such a leakage. With continuous and long term leakages and exposure to hydrocarbons like asphalt from bitumen many of the plants and trees die and so the land is left bare, Burger 1993. This further facilitates soil erosion permanently changing the nature of the ecosystem. This is what could happen to Cold Lake if drastic measures are not taken and avert the damage already caused by the leakage. The plants have started forming dark patches due to the vaporizing gas and this leads to insufficient food to the herbivorous species. This will also have a negative impact on the food relations in the region. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Production of oil sands products has been associated with higher levels of fossil gases which include Methane and Carbon IV oxide. Emissions are experienced in extraction, transportation, and upgrading, refining, distribution and also in the combustion of the oil. This has raised the concern of environmentalists. Of much concern are the rampant leakages which further lead to destruction of flora and fauna. The Economics of Oil Sands Products The oil industry is undoubtedly one of the key players in the Canadian economy. Large reserves of oil sands existed in Canada and among them is the Cold Lake which later yielded the environmental concerns after the leakages. However, the production of oil sands products is more expensive than the production of normal crude oils. Its profitability depends on a relatively narrow range of the prevailing economic conditions. The price of crude oil has to be priced really high-as high as $95 per barrel to ensure that there is a profit realized in the production of oil sands products. However with the scarcity of crude oil, oil sands products have become a more competing product in the market. One of the major threats is the overrelying on economies on oil products which with the environmental concerns being raised may have a limp if people retreated to more environmental friendly modes of getting energy. Alberta alone supplies the US with 1.4 million barrels of oil daily from oil sand products. Although environmental objections have been fierce, there has been a thriving mutual partnership and business through the sales. Europe has been reluctant to open its market to oil sands products. What has led to the reluctance is the question whether the products are more polluting or they are friendly to the environment. The EU held a meeting on February 2012 to discuss the matter. However the vote ended in a stale and that led to continued resistance despite Canada’s bid to open oil sands product business in Europe. Oil companies enjoy lump some profits from oil sands products. American oil products that are active in the business include;- Exxon Mobil, Conoco Philips and Chevron. These have already invested a lot in the venture and much more is still bound to be invested in the near future. By developing the Canadian oil sands products reserves the industry can produce much more products and thereby provide cheaper energy at a profitable level. The Canadian national and the governments of its provinces are also bound to materially gain from the development of the oil sand reserves. At a provincial level, Alberta will get much more revenues. Economic Trade Offs; There are significant economic benefits associated with developing oil sands products. One of the main is the increase in the Canadian GDP. The benefits however come with a trailing long line of disruptive impacts and environmental costs associated with the extraction of Bitumen and the increased spill risks. Restriction of Operation On July, 2013, Bitumen from one of Canadian natural resources Limited’s projects bubbled up and it got its entry into a nearby body of water at one of its production. The aftermath was the death of waterfowls, frogs, tadpoles, beavers, shrews and due to the damage; the company’s extraction efforts around Cold Lake were limited, Cryderman, 2013. Underground steaming which is one of the methods used in the extraction to heat up the deposits and bubble them to the surface was suspended. The regulator also imposed other steaming restrictions throughout Primrose South Operation. The leak which is unique as it involves the extraction and not the transportation part has retarded the production at the site. The contaminated water body is on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range. At this point CNRL uses high pressure cyclic steam stimulation to suck bitumen to the surface. Bitumen leaked through into the slough from the bottom and that is one of the reasons why it took it sometime before it was noted. The bitumen was coming out of the ground direct into the water body. The entry into the water body was cited as the main cause of the dead organisms. Confirming the deaths, Alberta’s Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Department said that there were talks going on to evaluate the sensitivity of the whole situation and be able to establish a long lasting sustainable solution, Cryderman, 2013. CNRL has had other cases of leakages in the past and that serves to question the sustainability of oil sands products in relation to the environment. Recommendations As long as it may be important to have a stable economy, the value of the environment should not be compromised. Looking at the whole oil spillage at the oil sands production, the responsible dockets have to ensure that that a lasting solution is achieved for the production to proceed. These are some of the recommendations that can help contain the situation;- a. Carrie, 2013 suggests that all activities at the leakage site should be halted. Forensic geologists should get to the ground to establish the extent of the spillage and whether the oil has reached the water table. Due to the density of bitumen and asphalt which is a derivative of bitumen, it usually sinks quickly to the aquifer thereby causing great contamination to the ground water. The origin of the leakage should also be established in case of multiple leakages which can derail the process. b. All the wells should be counter checked to prevent further leakages. Before any activity commences it is important to ensure that all the wells are intact and all the risks have been evaluated. Jessica, 2012 argues that the fossil gases from oil sands are more dangerous compared to the one from crude oil and so with greenhouse gases accumulating at an alarming rate, it would prove very important to ensure the risks are minimized. c. The displacement of the water body has been one of the options. Before that is done the contemporary environment should also be considered. That would partially exhibit escape of responsibility as containing the leakage would provide a more lasting solution to the whole predicament. d. CNRL should use better methods in its extraction that will pose little risk to the environment. This is to avoid the same in the future. Conclusion The issue of oil spillage in Cold Lake has yielded a hot debate on the sustainability of the methods used in extractions to a healthy environment. Cold Lake is a city found in Northeastern Alberta, Canada. It is named after the lake which it is situated. The city has a population of around 15 000 people. The city’s economy is linked to the military spending at CFB Cold Lake. The region is also prominent for its oil and gas exploration and production. The oil and gas exploration has however been marred by the leakages found to have affected the environment. The concerns arising were the risks involved in the extraction of oils sand products. The installation of the pipes which transport the oil and the wells which are used in extraction has been questioned after the spillage. This calls for better strategies to be laid in order to ensure that the extraction of the oils sand which affects many parties does not stop. CNRL in the meantime is laying down better methods that will ensure that the extraction and the transportation of the products is done in correspondence with the environmental concerns that have been addressed by the Alberta’s Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Department, Baker, 2013. References Alta. (2013, September 16). Alberta First Nation concerned about six leaks at oil sands project. The Globe and Mail. Online. Baker, C. S. (2013). Another chapter unfolds in CNRL’s oil sands bitumen blowout in Cold Lake, Alberta. Calgary: Pembina Institute. Burger, A. E. (1993). Estimating the Mortality of Seabirds following oil spills:Effects of Spill Volume, Vol. 26, No. 3: pp. 140-143. CBC News. (2013, October 27). 3-day Ceremonial walk underway to protest Cold lake Spill, CBC News, online. Cryderman, K. (2013, September 23). CNRL ordered to drain a lake in Alberta and Stop Oil Spill, The globe and Mail. online. Deppe, B. (2013, July 26). Alberta oil leak into week 10-Can it be stopped? The People’s world, online. Devlin, D. J., Profitt, C, E., & Lindsey, M. (1995). Effects of Oil on Mangrove seedlings grown under different environmental conditions. Vol. 30, No12: pp. 788-793. Jessica, W. (2012). NOAA Environmental Engineer. Personal Communication. Pullman, E., & Lukacs, M. (2013, July 19). Nobody Understands spills at Alberta oil sands Operation, The Star. Online. Stratsz, O.P. (2003). The Chemistry of Alberta Oil Sand Bitumen. Alberta: Hydrocarbon Research Center, University of Alberta, 2G2. Tait, Carrie. (2013, July 18). Canadian Natural restricts operations after bitumen leak. The Globe And Mail. Online. Trans Mountain Expansion Project Report. (2013, December). Ecological Risk assessment of marine Transportation Spills, Calgary: Stantec Consulting Limited. Read More