Ikelic - Alliance Digital Repository

OIL SANDS
12.0 million m3/yr level of SCO production with
an expansion to 15.0 million m3/yr in 1998. To
achieve this higher level of production over the
requested project duration would require addi
tional oH sands mining areas beyond those
described by Syncrude in previous applications
to the Board. Syncrude was therefore seeking
approval for additional mining areas within the
approved project boundary (Figure 1). Bitumen
supply
profiles in the application also identified
some bitumen from sources other than the cur
rent Syncrude mine. Syncrude did not, however,
request approval for specific off-lease sources at
this time.
Atmospheric Emissions
Syncrude provided estimates of the mass of at
mospheric emissions resulting from its Mildred
Lake operations. The specific emissions that
were identified include sulfur dioxide (S02), car
bon dioxide (COJ, oxides of nitrogen NOx),
hydrogen sulfide (HS), particulates (including
heavy metals), and hydrocarbons Including
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Table 1 summarizes Syncrude's evidence regard
ing the actual and predicted emissions from its
facility for some of the major pollutants that are
released on a continuous basis from the main
stack.
Syncrude also acknowledged that indirect emis
sions from on-site and off-site generation of
electricity used for its project would add in the
order of 640 tonnes of per C02 day for the
10.0 million m3/yr design case and 778 tonnes
per day for the 12.6 million m3/yr case.
Syncrude acknowledged that the diverter stacks
and flare stacks emit S02, HS, particulates, and
other emissions on an intermittent basis and can
contribute significant volumes during individual
flaring and diverting
events. Current use of the
diverter stacks appears to occasionally result in
off-site odors and exceedances of ambient air
quality objectives, but Syncrude argued that this
would not become any
development proposal.
worse with its staged
34
Health Impacts
Syncrude commissioned a study which at
tempted to evaluate the potential health risks to
people living in Fort McKay and Fort McMurray
as a result of exposure to only atmospheric emis
sions from the Syncrude facility (i.e., excluding
other sources, including Suncor emissions). The
study considered potential risks from both longand
short-term exposures based on predicted
average and 1-hour maximum emission levels. In
both cases the study
attempted to determine
whether the predicted level of exposure would
exceed a level believed to produce a measurable
hearth effect (the exposure limit). The study
found that none of the predicted long-term ex
posures resulting
from the Syncrude emissions
alone were greater than the accepted exposure
limits.
Reclamation
Syncrude's application requested approval by
the Energy Resources Conservation Board
(ERCB)
of its lease development and reclamation
plans with specific reference to plans for the fine
tails reclamation. Syncrude argued the Oil Sands
Conservation Act provided the Board with clear
jurisdiction to deal with reclamation matters in
the context of an oil sands mining operation.
Syncrude argued that, based on its research and
development work, it was satisfied that it could
reclaim its accumulated volume of fine tails in an
environmentally acceptable manner. It also con
cluded, however, that there was no single ap
proach available to manage the fine tails volumes
that was technically, environmentally, and
economically acceptable. Syncrude believed
that the optimal approach should integrate
volume management techniques with water cap
ping of fine tails (water-capped fine tails) as the
preferred reclamation approach.
To carry out the water-capped technique, mature
fine tails would be placed into the mined-out pit.
A layer of capping water would then be placed
on top of the fine tails to form a fresh water lake.
The capping layer would be of sufficient depth to
THE SYNTHETIC FUELS REPORT, JANUARY 1995