Petro-Canada actively manages liquid spills, including crude oil, refined products, produced salt water and chemicals. Spill events are captured in a corporate database and thoroughly investigated. Root cause is determined and remedial actions are implemented to minimize risk and the chance of recurrence. We recognize that spills of any substance that may pose an impact to the environment should be treated with consistent focus. The graphs below outline the number, volume, the receiving medium (receptor — land, fresh water, salt water, etc.) and the basic cause of the spill. This information is critical to addressing our spill management strategies.
Petro-Canada Spills by Business Unit 2008
 |
 |
 |
| |
Business Unit |
Total # |
Volume (m3) |
# >1m3 |
|
NANG |
413 |
280.16 |
32 |
|
Downstream |
288 |
477.75 |
30 |
|
Oil Sands |
106 |
432.06 |
31 |
|
East Coast Canada |
34 |
15.71 |
2 |
|
International & Offshore |
27 |
19.38 |
6 |
|
Total |
868 |
1225.04 |
101 | |
|
 |
 |
 |
Petro-Canada Spills by Area 2008
|
|
|
| |
By Spill Area |
Total # |
Volume (m3) |
# >1m3 |
|
Ground |
569 |
864.65 |
64 |
|
Contained Area |
229 |
184.29 |
30 |
|
Fresh Water |
25 |
157.84 |
5 |
|
Sea Water |
36 |
15.63 |
2 |
|
Underground |
5 |
2.25 |
0 |
|
Ice |
4 |
0.38 |
0 |
|
Total |
868 |
1225.04 |
101 | |
|
|
|
|
Spill Reporting and Emergency Response Plans
At Petro-Canada, there are systems in place to inspect and audit facilities that are used to produce and store oil and other products. We have emergency response plans at all our locations, including upstream onshore and offshore facilities, Downstream refineries, distribution terminals and our network of service stations. As well as being a member of mandatory response groups, Petro-Canada is also a member of the international organization Oil Spill Response Limited, and part owner of Eastern Canada Response Corporation. This, coupled with our own response capability, helps Petro-Canada be prepared in the event of an oil spill.
We have a strong culture of reporting loss events; however, growth and the increasing complexity of our operations means that we must continue to improve reporting practices, strengthen mitigation efforts and reduce the number and volume of spills.
Learn about:
Reducing Spills at MacKay River
Initiatives to reduce spills at our MacKay River plant include engineering work, training programs and enhanced procedures. Improvements have been made to in-house inspections and to maintenance programs related to hydraulic oil spills.
Reducing Spills in International and Offshore
We have a proactive process integrity program on our Hanze and De Ruyter production platforms in the Netherlands sector of the North Sea. This program allows operators and technicians to investigate parts of the plant on a rotating basis to identify potential sources of leaks or spills. From these investigations, corrective measures are developed and implemented.
Terra Nova has applied considerable effort and resources to developing a safe and environmentally responsible operation. Spill prevention measures are incorporated in the design of the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel and operating practices feature what we would consider to be world class standards. Some of the spill prevention features and initiatives used offshore at Terra Nova's drilling facility and production facility include: double-hulled and ice-strengthened FPSO; emergency shutdown equipment located throughout facilities; third-party review and assessment of facilities, extensive training and competency assessment, regular tracking of icebergs, and accurate weather prediction. In late 2008, following a review of containment and recovery options, Petro-Canada and other East Coast operators funded the purchase of a Norlense 1200 self-inflating boom to enhance oil spill response capability.
Reducing Spills in North American Natural Gas
Our North American Natural Gas business actively promotes a philosophy titled “Nothing Hits the Ground.” As a result, improvements are continuously made in internal reporting and investigations, and spill assessments are included in pre-job safety assessment meetings.
Learn more about oil spill response by visiting these organizations’ websites: