Reclamation problems and procedures for the oil industry on the Canadian prairies

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Reclam. Rev.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6691296

de Jong, E

Since 1947 Western Canada has become Canada's major source of oil, but the development of the oil industry has not been without adverse effects on the soil. The severity of the reclamation problems, and their solution, is dependent on the soils and climate of the prairie region. Pipelines are used extensively to transport crude oil, brine and gases, or mixtures of these. The installation of pipelines has had no long-term effects on the productivity of Chernozemic soils and increases the productivity of Solonetzic soils. Pipeline failure is, however, a major cause of pollution of soils by oil or brine or both. Procedures for enhancing the biological degradation of oil are well understood and with these techniques contaminated topsoils can be reclaimed in a few years. Reclamation of oil-contaminated subsoil presents a problem that is more difficult. In the prairie region, brine spills are generally more damaging to soils than oil spills and even though the principles of reclaiming salt-affected soils are well known reclamation of brine-affected areas has generally been less than successful. Application of manure seems to be more immediately beneficial than use of gypsum. Reclamation of contaminated battery sites presents an even greater challenge than reclamation of brine spills. Clearly more research is needed into the reclamation of brine-contaminated soils and some possible techniques are briefly discussed.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
• OSTI ID: 6691296
• Journal Information: Reclam. Rev.; (United States), Journal Name: Reclam. Rev.; (United States) Vol. 3:2; ISSN RERED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
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Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BRINES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CANADA
CLIMATES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROUND WATER
GYPSUM
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRY
LAND POLLUTION
LAND RECLAMATION
MANURES
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUTRIENTS
OIL SPILLS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC WASTES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PIPELINES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
QUANTITY RATIO
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
SOIL CONSERVATION
SOILS
STORAGE FACILITIES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
WASTES
WATER
WELLS