Alberta Research
The state of scientific research on the environmental impacts of Alberta’s oil and gas industry, and the tar sands in particular, is a highly contentious issue. The integrity of the province’s monitoring system has been strongly questioned by, at least, two federal reviews of the industry-funded Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP) (Ayles et al., 2004 and Main, C., 2010)on which the province’s monitoring system largely depends. Additionally, RAMP’s conclusions as to the (non)impact of tar sands activity on adjacent aquatic ecosystems were contradicted by two recent studies by University of Alberta scientists, which included a scathing critique of RAMP’s scientific methods (Kelly et al, 2009; Kelly et al, 2010). This research was preceded by two studies by Alberta ecologists similarly focused on the human and ecosystem health impacts of tar sands activity on the Athabasca tributary (Timoney and Lee, 2009; Timoney, 2007).
There are several sources of academic research on the environmental impact of tar sands activity. These include work out of Dr. David Schindler’s laboratory at the University of Alberta, noted above, which focuses on water-related issues of tar sands development. There is also research being done on toxins related to tar sands development and their biological and ecological effects at the Toxicology Centre at the University of Saskatchewan (Rogers, Wickstrom, Liber & MacKinnon, 2002), (Rogers, Liber & MacKinnon, 2002). A network of scientists at the University of Waterloo and the University of Guelph are also researching the level and movement of water contaminants and their effect on aquatic organisms (Lister, Nero, Farwell, Dixon, & Van Der Kraak, 2008; Kavanagh, Frank, Oakes, Servos, Young, Fedorak, MacKinnon, Solomon, Dixon, & Van Der Kraak, 2011).
Considerable university research is undertaken in partnership with industry and/or government agencies. A project of the Canadian Water Network, led by Dr. George Dixon of the University of Waterloo titled “Surface and groundwater management in the oil sands industry” is a partnership between various academics based at several universities (mostly UW and UofA) along with Alberta government agencies and major tar sands companies (Shell, CNRL, Nexen, Suncor, and Syncrude) and focusing on tailings reclamation. Similarly, a research project titled “Carbon Dynamics, Food Web Structure, and Reclamation Strategies in Athabasca Oil Sands Wetlands”, is being done through a collaboration of academics (Dr. Jan Ciborowski (UWindsor), Dr. George Dixon, (UWaterloo), Dr. Lee Foote (UAlberta), Dr. Karsten Liber (USaskatchewan) and Dr. Judit Smits (UCalgary)), and seven major tar sands companies (Suncor, Syncrude, Total, CNRL, Petro-Canada, Imperial Oil, and Shell). The project also focuses on reclamation and is studying the dynamics of wetlands to recommend strategies to the participating companies, as well as researching the ecological flow of tar sands-related contaminants through through food webs. The Alberta government also funded the establishment of the Oil Sands Research and Information Network (OSRIN) based at the University of Alberta, which focuses on reclamation issues for the industry. The Canadian Oil Sands Network for Research and Development (CONRAD), a research organization partners industry, government, along with the Univeristy of Alberta, Univeristy of Calgary, and the Alberta Association of Colleges and Technical Institutes to focus on a broad array of tar sands-related issues, including the Environmental and Reclamation Research Group, which funds university research into tailings and land reclamation with the “goal of understanding the fundamental processes that control natural and reconstructed landscape development” (2010 Annual Report).
Outside of academia, extensive research on environmental impacts is undertaken by several ENGOs, including the Pembina Institute, who published Oil Sands Fever.
Sources:
Ayles GB, Dubé M, Rosenberg D (2004) Oil Sands Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP) Scientific Peer Review of the Five Year Report (1997–2001) (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada).
Erin N. Kelly, Jeffrey W. Short, David W. Schindler, Peter V. Hodsonc, Mingsheng Maa, Alvin K. Kwana and Barbra L. Fortina (2009) “ Oil sands development contributes polycyclic aromatic compounds to the Athabasca River and its tributaries”. PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). December 29, 2009 vol. 106 no. 52 22346-22351
Erin N. Kelly , David W. Schindler a, Peter V. Hodson b, Jeffrey W. Short, Roseanna Radmanovich, and Charlene C. Nielsen (2010) Oil sands development contributes elements toxic at low concentrations to the Athabasca River and its tributaries. PNAS September 14, 2010 vol. 107 no. 37 16178-16183
Timoney, Kevin. P and Peter Lee (2009) Does the Alberta Tar Sands Industry Pollute? The Scientific Evidence The Open Conservation Biology Journal, 3, 65-81
Timoney, Kevin. P (2007). “A STUDY OF WATER AND SEDIMENT QUALITY AS RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES, FORT CHIPEWYAN, ALBERTA.” Nunee Health Board Society, November.
Rogers Vincent V. , Mark Wickstrom, Karsten Liber and Michael D. MacKinnon. (2002) “Acute and Subchronic Mammalian Toxicity of Naphthenic Acids from Oil Sands Tailings.” Toxicological Sciences (2002) 66 (2): 347-355.
Vincent V. Rogersa, Karsten Libera, Michael D. MacKinnon (2002) “Isolation and characterization of naphthenic acids from Athabasca oil sands tailings pond water.” Chemosphere, 48, 5. 519-527.
Aquat Toxicol. 2011 Jan 17;101(1):214-20. Epub 2010 Oct 25.
Kavanagh RJ, Frank RA, Oakes KD, Servos MR, Young RF, Fedorak PM, MacKinnon MD, Solomon KR, Dixon DG, Van Der Kraak G.” (2011) Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) reproduction is impaired in aged oil sands process-affected waters.” Aquatic Toxicology 2011 Jan 17;101(1):214-20.
Lister A, Nero V, Farwell A, Dixon DG, Van Der Kraak G. (2008) “Reproductive and stress hormone levels in goldfish (Carassius auratus) exposed to oil sands process-affected water.” Aquatic Toxicology 2008 May 1;87(3):170-7. Epub 2008 Feb 5.
Main, C. (2010). Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program. Scientific Review. Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures.
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This page was peer-reviewed in September 2013. We’d like to acknowledge the assistance of the external reviewers and Dave Campanelli, Dave Vasey, and Amanda Chrisanthus for contributing to this webpage content.
