The Nexen oil spill released five million litres of emulsion – a mixture containing 34 per cent bitumen, and 66 per cent water.
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Nexen said the spill was detected on Wednesday afternoon and covered approximately 16,000 square meters (4 acres) but was mostly contained within the pipeline’s right of way, which includes muskeg.
Just as news of as the massive Nexen oil spill in Alberta broke, the province’s premiers were concluding a deal on Canada’s national energy strategy. The Alberta Energy Regulator said it did not contaminate any water bodies.
The company and the Alberta Energy Regulator say it’s too soon to say what might have caused the leak.
Ron Bailey, Senior Vice-President of Canadian Operations, said they are deeply concerned by the incident and the impact it has had.
“This leak is… a good reminder that Alberta has a long way to go to address its pipeline problems, and that communities have good reasons to fear having more built”, said Greenpeace communications officer Peter Louwe. The pipeline closure hasn’t affected its nearby Long Lake site and 50,000 barrel-a-day upgrader facility for processing heavy crude into lighter grades of oil, it said.
In a statement, Counc. Byron Bates said the spill occurred on traditional territory, “where members of [the] Nation have hunted, fished, trapped and gathered for over a 1000 years”. Numerous accidents are the result of the increasing supply and demand for oil transport through pipelines that are now used at full capacity unceasingly to keep pace with production.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley told Edmonton’s CBC radio that the government will do its own investigation into what happened and whether everything was done to catch the spill when it occurred.
Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd has been in contact with Nexen since the spill and the Alberta Energy Regulator has started its investigation.
The site is located about 35 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray.
“It’s going to take us some time”, Mr. Bailey said.
“The timing is not awesome”, she said.
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New pipelines would lead to more development of the tar sands, Canada’s fastest growing source of carbon emissions, Hudema said. “We’re not sure how long it took for the volume that is being reported out”, said Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Grand Chief Stewart Phillip in Vancouver on Friday.
