The article contains several errors and lacks the context necessary to understand the oil sands, “the third-largest oil reserve in the world and a major contributor to Canadian economic prosperity and future growth,” is hardly “a threat to Canada’s long-term energy security.”
Also, the article makes no distinction between the two different methods used to extract oil: mining and drilling development. About 4,800 square kilometres of land is suitable for surface mining; the remainder is suitable for drilling projects. Mining projects use 2-4 barrels of water per barrel of oil and drilling uses 0.5 barrels of water per barrel of oil. And overall, the oil sands industry recycles 80-95 per cent of the water it uses.
Industry is required under Alberta law to reclaim all land disturbed by oil sands development, including tailings ponds, which are used as water recycling centres to avoid consuming more water. A Suncor pond is being reclaimed and new technologies are under way to accelerate the reclamation. Since operations began in the 1960s, about 10 per cent of the active mining footprint has been or is being reclaimed. Reclaimed land will be certified by the Alberta government when it can be returned to public use.
Readers seeking the facts about oil sands are welcome to visit our website here: www.capp.ca/UpstreamDialogue/OilSands/Pages/default.aspx.
Also, in 2010, the Royal Society of Canada commissioned an expert panel of Canadian scientists to review and assess evidence relating to several perceived environmental impacts of the oil sands. The Royal Society’s independent report is available here: www.rsc.ca.
Greg Stringham
Vice-President, Oil Sands and Markets
Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Calgary
