The Apache pipeline has spilled 9.5 million litres of what is called oil fields salty water in Alberta….the largest spill in Alberta history.
It comes at a time of continued sensitivity to spills, as the risks of pipeline transportation capture public concern amid applications by the oil industry for a series of controversial new pipelines.
U.S. research has found that produced water, also called oilfield brine, contains elevated levels of salt, some heavy metals, radioactive isotopes and relatively small concentrations of oil and grease. Even in small volumes, can quickly kill vegetation, creating “burned” areas that “may take years to revegetate,” according to research published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Apache spill took place in an area rich with wetlands.
Asked about the Apache spill, Jessica Potter, a spokeswoman for Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, said this week that “we know it has entered some of the water bodies.
The duration of the spill – how long it was leaking before it was detected – has not been disclosed.
Featured Posts
