Sustainable Energy Solutions Death by a Thousand Cuts · 2007-05-02 · For copies of our report:...

Sustainable Energy SolutionsSustainable Energy Solutions

© 2005 Pembina Institutewww.pembina.org

Death by a Thousand CutsDeath by a Thousand CutsDeath by a Thousand Cuts

The need for a new vision for in situ oil sands development in Alberta’s boreal forest

The need for a new vision for in situ oil The need for a new vision for in situ oil sands development in Alberta’s boreal sands development in Alberta’s boreal forestforest

Simon Dyer,

Senior Policy Analyst

The Pembina Institute

© 2005 The Pembina Institute www.pembina.org


OutlineOutlineOutline

Pembina’s VisionFocus of my comments todayWhat is Deep Oil Sands development?ImpactsDeath by a Thousand Cuts Questions or issues of clarification

Pembina’sPembina’s VisionVisionFocus of my comments todayFocus of my comments todayWhat is Deep Oil Sands development?What is Deep Oil Sands development?ImpactsImpactsDeath by a Thousand Cuts Death by a Thousand Cuts Questions or issues of clarificationQuestions or issues of clarification



An Oil Sands VisionAn Oil Sands VisionAn Oil Sands VisionDevelopment of the oil sands occurs at a pace and scale that:respects the capacity of regional ecosystems to be sustained,addresses global climate change by achieving deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, optimizes economic benefit to the public owners of the resource, andcontinuously improves the quality of life of all Albertans today and for future generations.

Development of the oil sands occurs at aDevelopment of the oil sands occurs at a pace and pace and scale that:scale that:respects the capacity of regional ecosystems to be respects the capacity of regional ecosystems to be sustained,sustained,addresses global climate change by achieving addresses global climate change by achieving deep reductions deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, in greenhouse gas emissions, optimizes economic benefit to the public owners of optimizes economic benefit to the public owners of thethe resource, andresource, andcontinuously improves the quality of life of all continuously improves the quality of life of all Albertans Albertans today and for future today and for future generations.generations.



Focus of my comments todayFocus of my comments todayFocus of my comments todayMy colleague Dr. Mary Griffiths presented a vision concerning water use by oil sands –particularly as it pertains to in situ oil sands development in Bonnyville yesterdayMy comments will largely focus on the projected landscape impacts of in situ development and promote an alternative vision

My colleague Dr. Mary Griffiths presented a My colleague Dr. Mary Griffiths presented a vision concerning water use by oil sands vision concerning water use by oil sands ––particularly as it pertains to in situ oil sands particularly as it pertains to in situ oil sands development in development in BonnyvilleBonnyville yesterdayyesterdayMy comments will largely focus on the My comments will largely focus on the projected landscape impacts of in situ projected landscape impacts of in situ development and promote an alternative development and promote an alternative visionvision



Oil sands are composed of sand, silt, clay, water and about 10% bitumen (tar).These enormous deposits make up about 21% of the province. Area of 14 million hectares of boreal forest (140,000 km2). 300,000 hectares is close enough to the surface to mineAlthough mining impacts are severe, from a land impact perspective, will be dwarfed by the impacts of deep oil sands development

Oil sands are composed of sand, silt, clay, water and about 10% bitumen (tar).These enormous deposits make up about 21% of the province. Area of 14 million hectares of boreal forest (140,000 km2). 300,000 hectares is close enough to the surface to mineAlthough mining impacts are severe, from a land impact perspective, will be dwarfed by the impacts of deep oil sands development

© 2005 The Washington Post, Photo by Melinda Mara, Reprinted with Permission

An Industrial Landscape?An Industrial Landscape?An Industrial Landscape?



Deep oil sands cover an area

almost 50x larger than deposits

close enough to the surface to

mine

Deep oil sands Deep oil sands cover an area cover an area

almost 50x larger almost 50x larger than deposits than deposits

close enough to close enough to the surface to the surface to

minemine



In situ (in place) ExtractionIn situ (in place) ExtractionIn situ (in place) Extraction

Over 80% of the bitumen can only be extracted ‘in Over 80% of the bitumen can only be extracted ‘in situ’ whereby highsitu’ whereby high--pressure steam is injected to pressure steam is injected to remove the bitumen from the sand.remove the bitumen from the sand.



Source: From top left. David Dodge, Google Earth, PetroCanada x 2, David Dodge

This was verified in a presentation to senior SRD staff by the Sustainable Ecosystems Working Group of CEMA on September 5

They concluded that preliminary results show:

Under the current development trajectory we see downfalls in many environmental indicators

SAGD is an intensive land use (we cannot maintain environmental indicators

A few small tweaks to business as usual will not solve the problem

Deep Oil Sands -an intensive

landuse

Deep Oil Sands -an intensive

landuse



Pembina/CPAWS Modeled projected impacts

Pembina/CPAWS Modeled Pembina/CPAWS Modeled projected impactsprojected impacts

Generalized Generalized deep oil sands deep oil sands development development using data from using data from the OPTIthe OPTI--NexenNexenLong Lake Project Long Lake Project Environmental Environmental Impact Impact AssessmentAssessment

An average of An average of 8.3% clearing8.3% clearing



Development of existing Development of existing (2005) deep oil sands (2005) deep oil sands leases (grey) will require:leases (grey) will require:

2,960 km2,960 km22 of forest clearingof forest clearing

30,000 km of roads30,000 km of roads

Transform boreal forest to Transform boreal forest to an industrial zone the size an industrial zone the size of Vancouver Islandof Vancouver Island



Next slide shows simulation of future development footprint based development of existing leases



Fragmentation ImpactsFragmentation ImpactsFragmentation Impacts

Satellite image of deep oil sands site Schematic of proportion of forest impacted



The Hard FactThe Hard FactThe Hard Fact

The current regulatory process with respect to land impacts is brokenDoes not manage cumulative effectsAssessments are not conservativeThe boreal forest cannot withstand the projected hundreds of concurrent oil sands projects (2700 agreements)

The current regulatory process with respect The current regulatory process with respect to land impacts is brokento land impacts is brokenDoes not manage cumulative effectsDoes not manage cumulative effectsAssessments are not conservativeAssessments are not conservativeThe boreal forest cannot withstand the The boreal forest cannot withstand the projected hundreds of concurrent oil sands projected hundreds of concurrent oil sands projects (2700 agreements)projects (2700 agreements)



Woodland caribou in decline in deep oil sands areas

Woodland caribou in decline in Woodland caribou in decline in deep oil sands areasdeep oil sands areas

505560657075

80859095

100

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003Year

Pop

ulat

ion

Cha

nge

%

Courtesy: Wayne Lynch

Source: Alberta Woodland Caribou Recovery Team. Alberta Woodland Caribou Recovery Plan 2004/05 – 2013/14 (2005)



Lynx vs Road DensityLynx Lynx vsvs Road DensityRoad Density

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4

Road Density (km/km2)

Prob

abili

ty o

f Occ

urre

nce

Courtesy: CPAWS

Source: Nielsen et al 2006. A new method to estimate species and biodiversity intactness using empirically derived reference conditions. Biological Conservation, in review



Forest birds vs Cumulative ImpactsForest birds Forest birds vsvs Cumulative ImpactsCumulative Impacts

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

BrownCreeper

Red-breastGrosbeak

Yellow-bellySapsucker

BTGWarbler

Mea

n N

umbe

r of D

etec

tions

Low FootprintHigh Footprint

Source: Schmiegelow and Cumming in Alternative Futures, Alberta’s Boreal Forest at a Crossroads



SolutionsSolutionsSolutions

The following recommendations by CPAWS and the Pembina Institute are essential to minimize the risk to the boreal forest posed by poorly managed Deep Oil Sands development

The following recommendations by CPAWS The following recommendations by CPAWS and the Pembina Institute are essential to and the Pembina Institute are essential to minimize the risk to the boreal forest posed minimize the risk to the boreal forest posed by poorly managed Deep Oil Sands by poorly managed Deep Oil Sands developmentdevelopment



Plan first….Plan first….Plan first….

Develop a regional plan that describes the landscape objectives that will be met through the oil sands lease allocation and project approval process

This is was CEMA was supposed to have done, but it has failed, for a host of reasons

Develop a regional planDevelop a regional plan that describes the that describes the landscape objectives that will be met landscape objectives that will be met through the oil sands lease allocation and through the oil sands lease allocation and project approval processproject approval process

This is was CEMA was supposed to have This is was CEMA was supposed to have done, but it has failed, for a host of reasonsdone, but it has failed, for a host of reasons



Slow down and protect..Slow down and protect..Slow down and protect..

Suspend new lease sales and project approvals until a regional plan is in placeEstablish new interconnected protected areas representative of the boreal region as a conservation offset measure

Suspend new lease sales and project Suspend new lease sales and project approvalsapprovals until a regional plan is in placeuntil a regional plan is in placeEstablish new interconnected protected Establish new interconnected protected areasareas representative of the boreal region as representative of the boreal region as a conservation offset measurea conservation offset measure



Limits and Standards…Limits and Standards…Limits and Standards…

Establish limits on cumulative industrial disturbance and standards for the protection of wildlife habitatEstablish a Land Management Planning Standard to guide the development of operating plans for all resource companies

Establish limits on cumulative industrial Establish limits on cumulative industrial disturbancedisturbance and standards for the and standards for the protection of wildlife habitatprotection of wildlife habitatEstablish a Land Management Planning Establish a Land Management Planning StandardStandard to guide the development of to guide the development of operating plans for all resource companiesoperating plans for all resource companies



Best Practices…Best Practices…Best Practices…Require all companies to implement “best practices” to minimize environmental damage from in situ oil sands development

Heliportable seismicCompensatory mitigationRestoration not reclamation

Require all companies to implement Require all companies to implement “best practices”“best practices” to minimize environmental to minimize environmental damage from in situ oil sands developmentdamage from in situ oil sands development

HeliportableHeliportable seismicseismicCompensatory mitigationCompensatory mitigationRestoration not reclamationRestoration not reclamation



ConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsDeep oil sands extraction will dwarf impacts of oil sands mines on the forestImportant as MOSS said “regional environment will be protected”An area the size of Vancouver Island (> *35,000 km2) has been leased for deep oil sands extractionNo plan is in place to protect the forestOil Sands moratorium is needed

Deep oil sands extraction will dwarf impacts of Deep oil sands extraction will dwarf impacts of oil sands mines on the forestoil sands mines on the forestImportant as MOSS said “regional environment Important as MOSS said “regional environment will be protected”will be protected”An area the size of Vancouver Island (> An area the size of Vancouver Island (> *35,000 km*35,000 km22) has been leased for deep oil ) has been leased for deep oil sands extractionsands extractionNo plan is in place to protect the forestNo plan is in place to protect the forestOil Sands moratorium is neededOil Sands moratorium is needed



A vision for effective land management of the oil sands

A vision for effective land A vision for effective land management of the oil sandsmanagement of the oil sands

Development of the oil sands occurs at a pace and scale that respects the capacity of regional ecosystems to be sustained,

- Development of a plan before allocations and approvals- Establish representative protected areas before it is too

late- Optimal Oil Sands Development rate directs Alberta

Energy Allocations and not vice versa- Limits and thresholds on maximum levels of disturbance –

incorporate land trading system to offset disturbance

Development of the oil sands occurs at aDevelopment of the oil sands occurs at a pace and scale that pace and scale that respects the capacity of regional ecosystems to be respects the capacity of regional ecosystems to be sustained,sustained,

-- Development of a plan before allocations and approvalsDevelopment of a plan before allocations and approvals-- Establish representative protected areas before it is too Establish representative protected areas before it is too

latelate-- Optimal Oil Sands Development rate directs Alberta Optimal Oil Sands Development rate directs Alberta

Energy Allocations and not vice versaEnergy Allocations and not vice versa-- Limits and thresholds on maximum levels of disturbance Limits and thresholds on maximum levels of disturbance ––

incorporate land trading system to offset disturbanceincorporate land trading system to offset disturbance



Thank you!Thank you!Thank you!

For copies of our report: Death by a Thousand Cuts: Impacts of In Situ Oil Sands Development on Alberta’s Boreal Forest, to watch movie footage of deep oil sands impacts, or to obtain images of deep oil sands extraction, please visit

www.oilsandswatch.org

For copies of our report: For copies of our report: Death by a Death by a Thousand Cuts: Impacts of In Situ Thousand Cuts: Impacts of In Situ Oil Sands Development on Alberta’s Oil Sands Development on Alberta’s Boreal ForestBoreal Forest, to watch , to watch movie movie footage of deep oil sands impacts, footage of deep oil sands impacts, or to obtain images of deep oil or to obtain images of deep oil sands extraction, please visitsands extraction, please visit

www.oilsandswatch.orgwww.oilsandswatch.org

Photo by Dan Woynillowicz, the Pembina Institute

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