Η πρώτη διαρροή αναφέρθηκε στις 20 Μαΐου και αποδίδεται από τη διαχειρίστρια Canadian Natural Resources (CNRL) σε «μηχανικές βλάβες σε γεωτρήσεις παρακείμενες στις περιοχές που επηρεάστηκαν».
Παρότι η εταιρεία δεν αποκάλυψε την ποσότητα που έχει διαρρεύσει, τοπικά μέσα ενημέρωσης επικαλούνταν έγγραφα που έκαναν λόγο για 26.000 βαρέλια πίσσας με νερό και άλλες 4.500 βαρέλια καθαρής πίσσας.
Περίπου 120 άτομα έχουν αναλάβει τον περιορισμό της διαρροής και τον καθαρισμό της περιοχής, ωστόσο σύμφωνα με κυβερνητικό επιστήμονα που βρίσκεται στο σημείο και συμμετέχει στις προσπάθειες, «όλοι έχουν τρελαθεί με αυτό που συμβαίνει. Δεν καταλαβαίνουμε τι έγινε». Ο ίδιος παραδεχόταν μιλώντας ανώνυμα στην Toronto Star ότι «κανείς δεν καταλαβαίνει πραγματικά τι πρέπει να γίνει για να σταματήσει η διαρροή και, αν κάποιος καταλαβαίνει, τότε δεν έχουν εφαρμοστεί τα κατάλληλα μέτρα».
Και σαν μην έφταναν όλα αυτά, μέλη περιβαλλοντικών οργανώσεων και εκπρόσωποι κοινοτήτων ιθαγενών πραγματοποίησαν την περασμένη εβδομάδα διαμαρτυρία έξω από τα γραφεία της CNRL στο Κάλγκαρι, ζητώντας να κοινοποιήσει περισσότερες πληροφορίες για τις διαρροές.
- Εκφράζονται φόβοι ότι οι μέθοδοι που χρησιμοποιούνται εδώ και 30 χρόνια για την εξαγωγή πετρελαίου από την «άμμο πίσσας» δεν είναι αρκετά ασφαλείς.
2/8/13
Environmental disaster in Canada - Primrose oilsands site in Alberta unable to stop oil leaking for over nine weeks...
ReplyDeleteCanadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNR) operates the Primrose oilsands facility northeast of Edmonton where four ongoing underground oil blowouts have contaminated forest, muskeg and a lake and have already killed dozens animals. The sites are located in a remote area which has restricted access to the public. Alberta's Oil Sands is the third-largest crude oil reserve in the world, next to Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Alberta government and the company hasn't yet officially confirmed the cause of the blowout, the amount of spilled material, wildlife impacts, water-quality monitoring or a plan to stop the spill.
The blowout from Primrose tar-sands drilling operation was not revealed to the public until an anonymous government scientist leaked it to the press. According to a Mother Jones article, the spill — which has released at least 4,500 barrels of tar-sands oil — was reported to have started on May 21, 2013. Cleanup started in late May, and so far some 26,000 barrels of bitumen mixed with surface water have been removed, including more than 4,500 barrels of bitumen. .....http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2013/07/27/environmental-disaster-in-canada-primrose-oilsands-site-in-alberta-unable-to-stop-oil-leaking-for-over-nine-weeks/
27/7/13
Leaks at Alberta's Primrose oilsands contained: Canadian Natural Resources...
ReplyDeleteCALGARY -- Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. says a "mechanical failure" at an old well is behind ongoing bitumen seepage at its oilsands project on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range in northeastern Alberta.
The Calgary-based company (TSX:CNQ) said Wednesday the damage has been contained and the cleanup is proceeding well.
"Canadian Natural is confident the cause of the seepage is due to the mechanical failure of well bores in the vicinity of impacted locations," president Steve Laut said in a conference call. "We have a pretty good idea of the likely well bores."
For weeks now, bitumen has been oozing to the surface at CNRL's Primrose project, which uses high-pressure, high-temperature steam to soften underground bitumen and force it up wells. Almost a million litres of bitumen have so far leaked into the bush and muskeg and another 2,400 litres seep in every day.
Laut said each of four locations where bitumen has been oozing to the surface has been secured. The affected area has now been reduced from about 20 hectares to 13.5 hectares and much of the bitumen has already been removed.
"The bitumen emulsion will continue to seep at an ever-declining rate for a period of time," said Laut. "There is effectively little to no environmental damage to manage the ever-declining seepage."
The seepage consisting of bitumen instead of oil makes the cleanup easier in some ways, he added.
"It's heavy and it's viscous and it doesn't actually flow unless it's warm, so it doesn't go very far and it's very easy to collect.".....Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/leaks-at-alberta-s-primrose-oilsands-contained-canadian-natural-resources-1.1391891#ixzz2asZjRrzh