Thank you.
My name is Murray Elliott. I'm the vice-president for health, safety, environment and sustainable development in Shell's heavy-oil business. Thanks for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Shell Canada and contribute to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development's study on a national conservation plan.
First, I'd like to note that Shell Canada shares CAPP's view that a national conservation framework would best inform future conservation discussions within the context of a balanced policy and regulatory reform in which environmental performance is addressed alongside economic growth and energy security.
Shell is of the view that flexible conservation strategies, rather than prescriptive plans, are the preferred means to mobilize industry to continue developing innovative and effective conservation strategies, such as reducing impacts, reclaiming lands, and setting aside lands with particular ecological value. We recognize that land conservation and biodiversity protection should be an integral part of all development.
Shell's business principles include commitments to contribute to sustainable development. This requires us to balance short- and long-term interests, and to integrate economic, environmental, and social considerations into business decision-making.
We aim to deliver benefits and reduce our impact through the choices we make about which projects to invest in by making more energy-efficient products and by reducing the impact of our operations.
I would like to provide a brief description of some of Shell's activities to illustrate how companies in the oil and gas sector contribute to conservation.
First, our seismic surveys used to explore for oil and gas are designed to minimize surface disturbance. Today two- to three-metre-wide seismic lines are cut with mulchers to avoid damage to near surface layers of soil. In the past these lines would have been cut by bulldozers in an eight-metre-wide swath. Meandering lines have replaced straight-cut lines to reduce predator impact and to preserve the forest canopy. The recording phase often uses heli-assisted techniques to minimize the need for vehicular access.
Many of the impacts of oil and gas development are temporary. In Shell's in situ oil sands business, two cycles of wells have been drilled, produced, and abandoned. Much of this land has been reclaimed. In the 1970s wells were drilled from individual, well-spaced pads, and all subsequent drilling has been based from multi-well pads to reduce surface footprint impacts.
Shell Canada has a long history of promoting land and marine conservation. Shell has been a partner with the Nature Conservancy of Canada for more than 28 years.
In 1992 Shell donated 8,900 hectares, or 22,000 acres, of land to establish the Mount Broadwood Heritage Conservation Area in British Columbia.
In 1997 Shell Canada was one of four oil and gas companies to relinquish mineral rights to 130,000 hectares, or 320,000 acres, off the west coast of Canada. This was the first step in establishing the Gwaii Haanas National Marine Conservation Area Reserve.
Shell's heavy-oil business has a land and reclamation strategy in place. Given that oil sands reclamation takes decades to complete, purchasing land elsewhere in the boreal zone of Alberta allows us to take action in the short term.
One of our long-term aspirational goals is to achieve a net neutral disturbance by offsetting our active footprint through reclaiming or conserving lands.
Since 2007 we've acquired more than 500 hectares, or 1,200 acres, of land in the southern boreal zone of Alberta in association with the Alberta Conservation Association.
Earlier this year Shell Canada announced the purchase of Shell True North Forest, an additional 740-hectare, or 1,800-acre, tract of land in northern Alberta to conserve boreal forest habitat. The lands were secured through another arrangement with the Alberta Conservation Association.
Thank you.