Oil SANDSFever FACT SHEET THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF CANADA’S OIL SANDS RUSH The untold story Oil sands rush risks squandering a public resource and creating a legacy of environmental degradation Some people are quite sands are either strip mined from In the absence of stringent fuel shocked the first time they 80-metre-deep open pits or heated efficiency standards, demand for so the bitumen can flow to a well transportation fuels in North see the oil sands mines and be pumped to the surface (in America continues unabated. north of Fort McMurray. situ extraction). Both forms of oil As conventional oil production Mines just like these may sands extraction require considerable begins to decline, the oil sands eventually cover 3,000 km2 amounts of energy and water, and are being touted as the panacea. lead to significant environmental Consequently, increased oil sands of boreal forest. and climate change impacts. production is projected to reach But this only takes into account The goal in 1995 was to produce 2.7 million barrels per day by 2015, the oil sands mines. When you add a million barrels of oil per day and 5 million barrels per day by in the deep oil sands operations, by 2020. 2030. Given these projections, 149,000 km2 of Alberta’s boreal the question of how to manage the forest (an area the size of Florida) As a result of the very low royalties associated environmental impacts could be dramatically transformed collected by the Alberta government, becomes even more urgent. into an industrialized landscape. federal tax breaks, reductions in oper- ating costs and the rising price of The magnitude of the risks and The bitumen found in the oil sands crude oil, an unprecedented oil sands opportunities is unprecedented in is thick, molasses-like and low- rush is underway. Between 1995 and the history of Canadian energy pro- grade. It must be upgraded before it 2004 oil sands production more than duction. All Canadians, including can be sent to refineries. Depending doubled to 1.1 million barrels per future generations, have a stake in on the depth of the reserves, oil day – 16 years ahead of schedule. the outcome. ▲ Oil sands mining has radically transformed the boreal forest landscape north of Fort McMurray. Above are tailings ponds and the Syncrude operation. PHOTO: DAVID DODGE, THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE A threat to Canada’s international reputation BIG Scale, BIG Impacts The pace of oil sands development is exceeding industry’s and ❚ Each day 600 million cubic feet of clean natural gas is used to produce oil sands – government’s ability to manage that’s enough to heat more than three million Canadian homes the environmental impacts ❚ Producing a barrel of oil from the oil sands produces three times more greenhouse gas emissions than a barrel of conventional oil Canada’s climate ❚ Oil sands mining operations are licensed to divert 349 million m3 of water per year change contradiction from the Athabasca River – twice the amount of water used by the City of Calgary The science of climate change leaves little ❚ At least 90% of this water ends up in toxic doubt that deep reductions in global tailings ponds. Tailings ponds already cover emissions must be achieved if we are to more than 50 square kilometers and can be seen from space prevent drastic worldwide impacts from ❚ According to Suncor, it has reclaimed climate change. 858 hectares of land since it started In Canada, the oil sands are the single largest contributor operations in 1967; this is less than to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions growth. Although, 9% of the land it has mined to date Canada has made international commitments to reduce ❚ Syncrude says it has reclaimed 4,055 greenhouse gas emissions. oil sands development is taking hectares, about 22% of the land it has the country in the opposite direction. For example, mined to date the production of synthetic crude oil from the oil sands ❚ None of Suncor or Syncrude’s “reclaimed” generates three times more greenhouse gas emissions than land has been certified as reclaimed by the the production of conventional oil. Government of Alberta ❚ Area of boreal forest leased for oil sands M Oil sands are Canada’s fastest growing source of greenhouse 2 mining development: 3,000 km gas emissions. PHOTO: DAVID DODGE, THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE ❚ Area of boreal forest leased for deep (in situ) oil sands development: 35,680 km2 (an area larger than Vancouver Island) ❚ In 2003, Alberta was named the industrial air pollution capital of Canada with more than one billion kilograms of emissions – Syncrude’s and Suncor’s oil sands facilities were ranked number one and two respectively as Alberta’s largest polluters ❚ Computer modelling of approved oil sands projects predicts that smog and acid rain causing nitrogen and sulphur oxides Oil pollution will exceed provincial, SANDSFever national and interna- SERIES tional guidelines ▲ Looking north, you can see the Suncor operation (middle) and the Syncrude operation (top left) and numerous tailings ponds. PHOTO: DAVID DODGE, THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE Shortchanging Albertans & Canadians Outdated and inappropriate oil sands royalty and tax regime Between 1995 and 2004, oil sands production increased 133%; amazingly government royalties decreased by 30%. A Growing The oil sands rush is creating unmanageable environmental Environmental impacts and shortchanging the public. Footprint Albertans are the owners of the oil sands further delays Albertans receiving the return Oil sands development cur- resource. As steward of the oil sands, the they deserve as owners of the resource. rently threatens an area larg- government is responsible for ensuring The federal government also provides er than Vancouver Island. If all potential leases are devel- that the owners receive the maximum generous allowances for writing off benefit from their development. oped, development will dra- capital costs to encourage investment matically affect 23 % of Under a 1996 regime, the Alberta in the oil sands. Alberta – an area the size of Florida. The boreal forest government collects a 1% royalty until The federal Department of Finance all capital and operating costs – and ecosystem is resilient, but it estimates that the tax cuts granted to can only withstand so much a return on investment – are recovered. oil sands companies are worth between degradation before its ability Then the royalty increases to 25% of $5 and $40 million for every $1 billion to recover is exceeded. The net revenue. invested. This tax break reduces federal tipping point, or environmen- tal limit, represents the extent The 1% royalty rate until project payout tax revenue and represents a subsidy of change that an ecosystem is a powerful incentive to reinvest profits that is no longer necessary or appro- can endure before this into expansion of operations, which priate for the oil sands industry. change is irreversible. OPTI-NEXEN DEEP OIL SANDS (SAGD) OPERATION AT LONG LAKE. Summary of recommendations The following Pembina Institute recommendations are essential for government and industry to assume accountability to Albertans and Canadians and to demonstrate global leadership: Want more information? PHOTO: DAVID DODGE, THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE PHOTO: DAVID 1. Demonstrate leadership in the more efficient use of natural resources by developing a national energy For more information and a complete list of strategy with targets and supporting policies for energy recommendations, download our full report efficiency, energy conservation, renewable energy and Oil Sands Fever: The Environmental conventional energy Implications of Canada’s Oil Sands Rush. It is available from www.oilsandswatch.org. 2. Protect the climate by requiring carbon neutral There you will also find photos and videos and (net zero GHG emissions) oil sands production by 2020 other information and reports on oil sands. 3. Protect Alberta’s environment by setting environmental This report was prepared by Dan Woynillowicz, limits that protect human health and the environmental Chris Severson-Baker and Marlo Raynolds of integrity of the region before approving additional oil the Pembina Institute www.pembina.org. sands development and protecting an area of high conservation value boreal forest 4. Ensure a fair economic return for Albertans, the National Energy owners of this public resource, and Canadians by maximizing collection of royalties and taxes and Strategy Is Essential investing a portion of this wealth into a permanent fund for sustainable energy to foster further innovation Development of the oil sands must be done in the context of a national strategy in energy conservation and energy efficiency and the for the transition to an economy based on production of low-impact renewable energy sustainable energy. A sustainable energy system is one that: MINING OIL SANDS AT SYNCRUDE’S MINE NORTH OF FORT McMURRAY. • Provides the services of energy to meet peoples’ needs today and the needs of future generations in an accessible, equitable and most efficient manner; • Enables stabilization of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases; • Protects or restores the earth’s air, land and water resources throughout its life cycle; • Is safe and results in no burdens of risk PHOTO: DAVID DODGE, THE PEMBINA INSTITUTE PHOTO: DAVID for future generations; and • Empowers communities to live satisfying and healthy lives..