AER: Imperial Oil Facing Further Water Issues at Kearl Oilsands Mine

Imperial Oil’s Kearl oilsands mine in northern Alberta has been encountering more wastewater complications, according to the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER).

The regulator has declared the company to be in violation of standards after certain chemicals related to oilsands tailings were discovered in an off-site well exceeding provincial limits amounts.

“In light of the exceedance of sulphate levels in the off-site well, we have issued a notice of non-compliance to Imperial for failing to control industrial runoff,” according to a notice from the regulator.

“This is not related to a tailings pond or the (environmental protection order) issued against Imperial in February.”

A warning has been issued regarding the detection of sulphates in a well situated near a mine waste disposal site, 100 meters from the Muskeg River, a tributary of the Athabasca River. According to provincial oilsands monitoring program results from the Muskeg River, sulphates increased by a factor of approximately ten during the first three months of 2023.

The substances are found in nature and are usually safe. They are being monitored as they are frequently found in dangerously high concentrations in tailings.

Imperial confirmed the results were shared with communities and reported to authorities in an email statement.

“This is part of the routine regulatory process, and is not associated with the seepage around the external tailings area (ETA) or environmental protection order (EPO),” it said.

Indigenous groups in close proximity to the Kearl site have been notified, the regulator said in a statement.

Although the communication restriction prior to the provincial election on May 29 will be respected, the regulator has been given special permission by the chief electoral officer to “continue communicating directly with Indigenous communities and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo on matters related to Imperial’s Kearl site.”

The AER has instructed Imperial to detail the new issue and outline how it intends to put its operations back into compliance.