Environmental protection order: Updates on Imperial’s actions

October 2024 – Expanded seepage system operating effectively at Kearl

On August 22, Imperial received the Alberta Energy Regulator’s enforcement decision and final administrative penalty.

Per the AER’s assessment, Imperial plans to undertake two projects for educational and research purposes to further study and understand the impact of the existing release of industrial wastewater. This research seeks to address scientific gaps and our goal is to work collaboratively with the Indigenous community and incorporate traditional knowledge. Our intent is also to share what is learned with our Indigenous neighbours and industry.

We regret this incident occurred and would like to express our sincere gratitude and thanks to local indigenous communities who have dedicated countless number of hours to this issue over the last year – including dozens of meetings, analyzing and evaluating thousands of pages of data, and multiple visits to the Kearl site.

We have been continually sharing information and working with Indigenous communities to collectively monitor both groundwater and surface water quality in these areas. We look forward to collaborating with communities further as this important work continues in an effort to rebuild trust, improve understanding and build confidence regarding our industry.

Imperial has activated its expanded seepage control system at its Kearl oil sands facility, which will help limit further migration of industrial wastewater off lease.

The measures put in place are working and all monitoring data continues to demonstrate no indication of adverse impacts to local wildlife or fish populations in nearby river systems, and no risks to drinking water for local communities.

Since starting work in February 2023, the company has more than tripled the total number of pumping and monitoring wells to address seepage of industrial wastewater from its operating lease area. There are now more than 800 monitoring wells in the area, with 6,000 samples collected to date.

With help from third-party assessments, we have mapped locations of potential seepage north of the lease boundary using extensive groundwater and surface water quality monitoring. The furthest we have detected shallow groundwater above screening guidelines is up to 150 metres from the lease boundary, in one localized area. In the deeper groundwater (more than 12 metres below surface near the Kearl lease), groundwater above screening guidelines has been detected within approximately one kilometre of the site. That remains two kilometres away from the Firebag River. We have been sharing this information with communities and continue to monitor both groundwater and surface water quality in these areas.

With the expanded interception system now in place controlling seepage, we are developing a plan to manage these areas longer-term. We will be incorporating feedback from local communities, regulators and land users in that process.

Imperial continues to provide regular updates and data to local Indigenous communities and is supporting independent testing and site tours.

Background

Imperial was issued an Environmental Protection Order by the Alberta Energy Regulator in March 2023 in response to two industrial water incidents that occurred at our Kearl oil sands mine. Imperial has been taking actions to address these issues.

In May 2022, we discovered discoloured water near our lease boundary and notified both the Alberta Energy Regulator and local Indigenous communities. Our preliminary investigation involved months of technical studies and determined this discoloured surface water was made up of natural groundwater, precipitation and water from our operations.

The second event, which occurred in February 2023, was an overflow from a drainage pond at Kearl, resulting in the release of approximately 5,300 cubic meters of water. This pond collects water from surface water drainage systems and the seepage interception system. Local Indigenous communities and the Alberta Energy Regulator were informed of this release once it was detected. All impacted snow and ice in the area was removed and Imperial continues to work with the AER on cleanup certification. The company has made changes to help prevent an event like this from happening again.

See previous updates.