Air quality

Our operations and the consumption of our products result in sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The main sources of our operations’ SO2, NOx and VOCs are the combustion of fuels in petroleum production and refining and minor leaks of fugitive emissions from equipment at our facilities.

Our approach

We contribute to maintaining air quality by:

• Producing cleaner fuels
• reducing energy use
• adding emission controls
• eliminating small leaks that contribute to fugitive emissions
• monitoring regional air quality
• applying best practices and procedures to reduce emissions

Performance at a glance

What we are doing

Adding emission controls

We are adding emission controls in different areas of our operations.

Investments in facilities include:

Alberta:

• Sulphur removal facilities installed at two Cold Lake plants in 2007 and 2008 have contributed to reducing SO2 emissions from the district operations by 42 percent in 2010 relative to 2006 levels. In 2010, Imperial Oil received government approval to add sulphur removal facilities to the proposed Cold Lake Nabiye facility.
• Improved emissions controls are considered during major equipment modification and replacement projects. For example, low NOx burners were installed when a steam generator in Cold Lake was rebuilt.

Ontario:

• Start up of the tail gas clean-up unit in Sarnia to reduce SO2 emissions. In 2010, S02 emissions were 69 per cent lower than in 2005.
• Successful first full year of continous emissions monitoring systems to measure NOx and SO2 emissions at Sarnia and Nanticoke refineries.
• Installation of a dome roof to a tank in Sarnia to further reduce benzene emissions. A second dome will be installed in 2011.

Nova Scotia:

• First full year of new sulphur plant to reduce SO2 emissions at Dartmouth refinery.
• Start up of new sour water stripper and integration with sulphur plant to reduce NOx and SO2 emissions.
• First full year of new vacuum furnace to help reduce NOx and GHG emissions.
• A project to replace tank roof seals to reduce emissions of VOCs began in 2010 and will continue through 2011.
  

Managing fugitive emissions

Our businesses have well-established leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs to monitor and reduce fugitive hydrocarbon emissions that could escape from equipment such as pumps and valve connections.
As part of our comprehensive program, we monitor the equipment with an analyzer that measures organic vapour for leaks and carry out repairs. We also conduct surveys with optical imaging equipment to further detect and repair fugitive emission sources.

Monitoring regional air quality

We collaborate with government, industry and other groups to maintain regional air monitoring networks that measure and track long-term air quality trends. At the Sarnia, Nanticoke and Strathcona refineries, and in the Fort McMurray area for Kearl, this effort is coordinated through multi-stakeholder associations.

At Cold Lake, we are a founding member of the Lakeland Industry and Community Association (LICA), which guides regional development. LICA members, including Imperial, have helped to establish a network that conducts continuous air monitoring across the Cold Lake region. LICA also supports the collection of science-based information on air quality issues. Recently there have been questions raised by area residents that soils in the region may be at higher risk of acid deposition from SO2 and NOx emissions. In 2010, LICA established a test monitoring plot to further evaluate whether there are potential soil acidification effects in the region.