OIL SPILL CONTROL IN ALBERTA

Abstract

ABSTRACT Alberta is a major oil-producing region in North America. In excess of one-half billion barrels per year are produced from 10,000 oil wells. Oil and produced salt water are transported through 20,000 miles of pipelines. More than 600 oil and salt water spills per year occur, generally on land. The Energy Resources Conservation Board is responsible for the administration of the oil and gas industry. The board's policies and regulations relating to spill prevention, oil spill contingency planning, containment and cleanup are broad and flexible to permit industry a relatively high degree of freedom to operate in this area of rapidly-changing technology. While each company is held responsible for containment and cleanup of its own spills, the board supports the oil spill cooperative concept in spill equipment maintenance, contingency plan preparation and spill response training. Careful containment and cleanup of oil and salt spills will minimize soil and vegetation damage. This, followed by comprehensive evaluation of spill effects, enables implementation of more effective rehabilitation programs.