Abstract

Shell Canada Resources Limited (Shell) has operated petroleum production facilities in the Midale area since the 1950s. The Midale operations include production wells within approximately 6 townships, flow lines linking the production wells to the main processing facility, and the Midale processing facility located at Sec. 12, Twp 6, Rge I I W2M Various oilfield wastes and contcminated soils are generated by ongoing drilling, production and reclamation operations. These include drill cuttings from new well installations and contaminated soils from well site reclamations, pipeline spills, andflare pit reclamations. Laboratory analyses of samples from flare pits and weN sites indicate that these materials are contaminated primarily by salts and crude oil that render the soils unsuitable for reclamation. Komex and Shell have designed, permitted and constructed a containment cell for permanent containment of these materials. The permitting process involved public and regulatory consultation, site selection and investigation, soil and groundwater monitoring, design, construction and QA/QC program. The facility is set to be put in use in 1999. The containment cell has been constructed on Shell lands and includes a secondaty compacted clay soil liner, leak detection, primary synthetic liner, Ieachate collection and disposal.

Introduction
Background

Shell Canada Resources Limited (Shell) has operated petroleum production facilities in the Midale area since the 1950's. The Midale Operations area is located approximately 5 kilometers north of Midale, Saskatchewan as shown in Figure 1. The Midale Unit (petroleum facilities in the area operated by Shell on behalf of its partners) includes the following major components:

  • production wells within approximately 6 townships;

  • flow lines linking the production wells to the main processing facility; and

  • the Midale processing facility located at Sec. 12, Twp 6, Rge 11 WZM.

Various oilfield wastes are generated by ongoing drilling, production and reclamation operations, as follows:

  • drill cuttings from new well installations;

  • well site reclamations;

  • pipeline spills; and

  • flare pit reclamations.

Laboratory analyses of samples from flare pits and well sites indicate that these materials are contaminated primarily by salts and crude oil that render the soils unsuitable for reclamation. Containment and disposal of these waste streams are required as part of production operations and lease abandonments.

A review of alternate disposal/treatment sites has been completed in support of Shell's ongoing operation and reclamation activities in the Midale area. The review indicates that there are few feasible alternatives for containing these waste materials available in the area (within 100 kilometres), as follows:

  • an oily waste treatment facility located in the Halbrite area and operated by Newalta;

  • a cavern disposal operation located near Unity and operated by Canadian Crude Separators;

  • a landfill operation located in Virdin, Manitoba and operated by Hazco; and

  • a slough located in the Gladmar area that is used for disposal of salt contaminated soils.

Transport distances to Virdin and Unity (over 200 km) are prohibitive. The Newalta treatment facility is not designed to treat salt contaminated soils. Finally, the Gladmar slough is not suitable for disposal of hydrocarbon contaminated soils and may not provide adequate contaminant containment.

This content is only available via PDF.
You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.