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Assessment of Major Aquifers Along Line 3 Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Program

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Assessment of Major Aquifers Along Line 3 Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Program Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Attachment 1 to IR 2.2.a to NEB IR No. 2 Application for the Line 3 Replacement Program Filed June 26, 2015 OH-002-2015 File OF-Fac-Oil-E101-2014-11 02 Page 1 of 18 ASSESSMENT OF MAJOR AQUIFERS ALONG LINE 3 ENBRIDGE LINE 3 REPLACEMENT PROGRAM Prepared for: Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Edmonton, Alberta Prepared by: Amec Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure Edmonton, Alberta June 2015 EE263562 Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Attachment 1 to IR 2.2.a to NEB IR No. 2 Application for the Line 3 Replacement Program Filed June 26, 2015 OH-002-2015 File OF-Fac-Oil-E101-2014-11 02 Page 2 of 18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Enbridge Pipelines Inc. retained Amec Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure to undertake an assessment of the major aquifers along their Line 3 replacement pipeline route from Hardisty, Alberta to Gretna, Manitoba. The Assessment consisted of a desk top review incorporating data from available provincial and municipal reports available in the public domain. The information collected was used to identifying the approximate aerial extent of major aquifers along the pipeline right-of-way (ROW). For the purposes of this assessment, a “major” aquifer was defined as a saturated regional geological unit, or interbedded units within a formation or group, with bulk hydraulic conductivities and sufficient thickness(es) to support sustained yields, and is currently being used for domestic, industrial or agricultural water purposes. Information regarding the groundwater usage and pertinent characteristics of aquifers (including geology, aquifer yields, hydraulic conductivity or transmissivity, water quality, and type/number of users) along Line 3 in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are described. The information presented herein is intended to be used to represent the general subsurface conditions of major aquifers along the Line 3 segments in the respective provinces. Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Attachment 1 to IR 2.2.a to NEB IR No. 2 Application for the Line 3 Replacement Program Filed June 26, 2015 OH-002-2015 File OF-Fac-Oil-E101-2014-11 02 Page 3 of 18 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 2.0 SCOPE OF WORK ......................................................................................................... 1 2.1 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................ 1 3.0 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS .......................................................................................... 2 3.1 ALBERTA ........................................................................................................... 2 3.2 SASKATCHEWAN .............................................................................................. 2 3.3 MANITOBA ......................................................................................................... 3 3.4 VALVE LOCATIONS ........................................................................................... 4 3.5 AQUIFER CHARACTERISTICS ......................................................................... 4 4.0 SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 4 5.0 CLOSURE ...................................................................................................................... 4 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A: Reference List Appendix B: Figures Appendix C: Table APPENDIX A Reference List APPENDIX B Figure 1: Major Aquifer Assessment - Alberta Figure 2: Major Aquifer Assessment - Saskatchewan Figure 3: Major Aquifer Assessment - Manitoba APPENDIX C Table 1: Aquifer Characteristics of identified Major Aquifers Along Line 3 in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Attachment 1 to IR 2.2.a to NEB IR No. 2 Application for the Line 3 Replacement Program Filed June 26, 2015 OH-002-2015 File OF-Fac-Oil-E101-2014-11 02 Page 4 of 18 1.0 INTRODUCTION Enbridge Pipeline Inc. (Enbridge) is in the process of replacing its Line 3 crude oil pipeline that runs from Hardisty, Alberta to Gretna, Manitoba. The replacement line will have an approximate length of 1,096 kilometres and will extend from eastern Alberta, through south central Saskatchewan, and into southwest Manitoba. An assessment of the major aquifers along the route was completed by Amec Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure (Amec Foster Wheeler). This assessment was a study based on existing information available in the public domain. The purpose of the assessment was to identify major aquifers along the pipeline route and to summarize the relevant characteristics for each identified aquifer. 2.0 SCOPE OF WORK The Assessment consisted of a desk top review detailing the aerial extent of major aquifers along the Enbridge Line 3 replacement pipeline Right of Way (ROW), between Hardisty, Alberta and Gretna, Manitoba. Data from available provincial (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) and municipal reports were assessed to infer the location of major aquifers along the ROW. Information was also obtained and summarized regarding the geology of the identified aquifers, along with aquifer characteristics and water usage including aquifer yield, hydraulic conductivity or transmissivity, water quality, and type/number of users, where available. 2.1 METHODOLOGY The Assessment focus was on the aerial extent of major aquifers along the Enbridge Line 3 replacement pipeline route, therefore efforts to assure consistency of aquifer boundaries at locations geographically remote from Line 3, or along provincial boundaries where uniformity of interpretation or reporting between the different referenced authorities was lacking, was not made. A list of publications referenced in this assessment is provided (see Appendix A). No interpretation or field verification of aquifer characteristics, geology or aerial extent, has been made in this assessment. For the purposes of this assessment, a “major” aquifer is defined as a saturated regional geological unit, or interbedded units within a formation or group, with bulk hydraulic conductivities and sufficient thickness(es) to support sustained yields, and is currently being used for domestic, industrial or agricultural water purposes. Local aquifers of limited extent and/or perched water tables are not included in this definition and have not been included in this assessment. Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Attachment 1 to IR 2.2.a to NEB IR No. 2 Application for the Line 3 Replacement Program Filed June 26, 2015 OH-002-2015 File OF-Fac-Oil-E101-2014-11 02 Page 5 of 18 The Line 3 pipeline route indicated on the appended figures (Appendix B) is the latest route information as provided by Enbridge (L3RP_Centreline_V5_WGS1984_March2015, revision 5.1). 3.0 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS The following sections highlight the major aquifers identified based on information obtained in the public domain. This information is intended to be used to represent the general subsurface conditions of major aquifers along the Line 3 segments in the respective provinces. 3.1 ALBERTA The locations and geographic extent of the major Alberta aquifers in relation to Line 3 are shown on Figure 1 (Appendix B). Two (2) major aquifers were identified along the Line 3 segment in Alberta: the Battleford Valley aquifer and the Belly River Group. The Battleford Valley aquifer is a pre-glacial valley deposit that extends from Chauvin, Alberta to north of Hardisty, Alberta. The aquifer deposits are composed mostly of unconsolidated sand and gravel that are up to 140 metres (450 feet) thick. The lateral eastern extent of the channel is not well defined. This aquifer is inferred to be separated into smaller areas by erosion of the Battle River valley. The Belly River Group is a bedrock aquifer composed of multi-coloured non-marine and marine sand, silt and clay sediments. The formation was deposited in a composite deltaic environment with various components including alluvial, lacustrine, aeolian, lagoonal, swamp, beach and marine materials. The Belly River Group has a maximum thickness of 250 m and contains several water-bearing sandstone units; the most common completion interval for drilled water wells in the bedrock aquifers is at approximately 122 m below grade surface (Hackbarth, 1975; Green, 1972; Le Breton, 1963; McLean, 1971; Hydrogeological Consultants Ltd., 1998a, 1998b). 3.2 SASKATCHEWAN The locations and geographic extent of the major Saskatchewan aquifers in relation to Line 3 are shown on Figure 2. Most of the route east of Regina does not cross major aquifers. Aquifers identified along Line 3 in Saskatchewan are mainly bedrock aquifers. The Late Cretaceous Judith River Formation aquifer is an eastward thinning sedimentary wedge that occurs over much of southwestern and south central Saskatchewan. The maximum thickness for the formation is approximately 360 m. The formation is composed of the same deposits as the Belly River formation identified in Alberta and is essentially the same deposit as described in Section 3.1(Maathuis and Simpson, 2002). Overlying the Judith River Formation is the Bearpaw Formation. The Bearpaw Formation includes a number of sand, silt and clay units and reaches a maximum thickness of 410 m. Around Swift Current, SK, sandstone members within the Bearpaw Formation form bedrock aquifers that occur Enbridge Pipelines Inc. Attachment 1 to IR 2.2.a to NEB IR No. 2 Application for the Line 3 Replacement Program Filed June 26, 2015
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