Regulator investigating treated water release at Imperial’s Kearl oilsands facility – Standard Freeholder
Nov 22, 2023
FORT McMURRAY — The Alberta Energy Regulator is looking into an accidental release of treated water into the Muskeg River from Imperial Oil’s Kearl operation.
The water was considered clean and was to be released back into the environment, but the company accidentally released roughly triple the legal limit of total suspended solids in the Muskeg River.
Imperial says that on Nov. 13 water passed through a culvert that was being partially eroded by the water flow. This caused soil to seep into the water, which was sent into a channel leading into the Muskeg River. Work crews stopped the water flow once they realized sediment was being released.
About 670,000 litres of water was released, as was 140 parts per million (ppm) of total suspended solids. The allowable limit for the Muskeg River at the time that the incident occurred was 42 ppm.
Imperial Oil spokesperson Lisa Schmidt said sediment levels had dropped below allowable limits on Nov. 14. Testing of samples collected from the Muskeg River is ongoing to make sure sediment levels remain within the regulator’s allowable limits.
