Evidence of meeting #26 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was aquifers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
It's not too often I get to ask a question, but we have a couple of minutes left.
I was interested in the comments about using the saline water for the in situ process. What depth are they pumping that brine, as you described it, Dr. Rivera? What depth does that come from the ground?
Manager, Groundwater Mapping Program, Environment, Safety and Geographic Foundations Programs, Department of Natural Resources
The pumping of groundwater?
Manager, Groundwater Mapping Program, Environment, Safety and Geographic Foundations Programs, Department of Natural Resources
On the saline water, I'm not sure of the exact depth, but I do know it's in the order of 70 to 100 metres. But I would be hesitant to make a....
Conservative
Manager, Groundwater Mapping Program, Environment, Safety and Geographic Foundations Programs, Department of Natural Resources
Below, yes.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
—and then they're using them in the in situ. So in the process of pumping the saline brine down into the oil sands, does any of that salt stay in the surface, or is it all recovered in the pumping process and recycled?
Manager, Groundwater Mapping Program, Environment, Safety and Geographic Foundations Programs, Department of Natural Resources
I'm not sure about that detail.
Director General, Central and Northern Canada Branch, Geological Survey of Canada, Department of Natural Resources
I'm not sure either. I understand, though, that they try to extract the salt before they use it. It's actually an industrial problem; salty water is corrosive, and they don't want pump it through the pumps. I believe they clean it before they inject it into the system.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Yes, that's what I was figuring. I know that in some places where they have saline aquifers they've been using for irrigation, it's created quite a bit of problem on the surface. It makes a saline soil that then is infertile. So I'm just wondering what happens with the salt and how that's going to affect the overall long-term health of the areas. Does it go to reclamation of tailings ponds where the salt is probably going to end up?
Director General, Central and Northern Canada Branch, Geological Survey of Canada, Department of Natural Resources
Yes, it's a huge issue. Again, you have to go to the industry people to probably answer this question better. The oil industry deals with this problem all the time because they encounter briny waters. There are ways to manage it. They're very controlled in how they release it back to the environment. It's certainly recognized as having an environmental impact that needs to be managed.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative James Bezan
Yes.
I want to thank all of you for coming in and for your testimony today. It will help us form our final report as we move forward on the oil sands study.
The meeting is adjourned.