Pierre River Mine Project

WATER ERCB SIRS 46 – 79
Question No. 51
Section 7.1
Request Volume 1, Section 13.1, Page 13-8, Supplemental Information Responses.
Shell considers deep-well injection to discard large volumes of process-affected
water.
51a If Shell determines injecting Process-Affected Water (PAW) is a necessary step,
at what locations and depth would this occur?
Response 51a Shell is no longer considering deep-well injection as an option for disposing of
process affected waters. Therefore, no additional information is being provided.
Request 51b Elaborate on the impacts on groundwater systems due to the injection of large
untreated volumes of PAW.
Response 51b See the response to ERCB SIR 51a.
Request 51c Shell lists deep well injection as a treatment option to remediate contaminated pit
lake waters. Explain how deep well injection remediates contaminated pit lake
waters.
Response 51c See the response to ERCB SIR 51a.
Request 51d What regulatory process will Shell use for approval of the deep well injection of
PAW if this option determined to be a necessary step?
Response 51d See the response to ERCB SIR 51a.
Question No. 52
Request Volume 1, Section 13.1, Page 13-21, Supplemental Information Responses.
Shell states, “The project proposes to reuse all of this captured water in its
bitumen extraction process. Because all available water is used, treatment would
not provide extra water for use.” Also “makeup water from the Athabasca River
is required to offset losses of water to tailings pore space (over 90%).”
52a Explain “over 90%” in the above quote.
April 2010 Shell Canada Limited 7-5
CR029