RSS|
Water In our cities and rural areas, Canadians expect access to abundant, clean sources of water for domestic, industrial and recreational use. In our coastal areas, we depend on a healthy marine environment for food and recreation. The oil and gas industry is committed to protecting this valuable resource. Water use The upstream industry uses water in various ways: Most drilling muds are water-based. Oilsands development requires water to transport and process bitumen and for cooling. In situ oilsands projects use water to generate steam. Water is also injected into oilfield reservoirs to enhance production. More than half of the oil produced in Alberta is developed by using enhanced recovery (injecting water to increase flows or to push out oil) or by using water for processing (oilsands). This use of water (saline, recycled or fresh) allows industry to produce more oil, increasing Canada’s supply of this resource. The industry follows strict licensing requirements for monitoring and reporting water use. In Alberta, for example, Alberta Environment issues licences for non-saline water use in the province and keeps records of all water that is allocated. For 2001, the oil and gas sector was licensed to use 4.6 per cent of all the water allocated in Alberta with less than two per cent licensed to waterflood and steam injection operations. Of the total water allocated in the province, the oil and gas sector uses less than half of one per cent for waterflood and steam injection processes (enhanced oil recovery). Water actually diverted for these purposes has declined from 88.7 million cubic metres in 1972 to 37.5 million cubic metres in 2001 (with a further use of 10.5 million cubic metres of saline or brackish water). What is industry doing?
 
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
