LAKELAND - The importance of collaboration between industry, government and community in addressing environmental challenges was front and centre during the Lakeland Industry and Community Association's (LICA) annual general meeting.
The Oct. 10 event that was hosted at the Lakeland inn in Cold Lake was attended by representatives from various sectors and featured a keynote speech by Wes Jickling, CEO of Pathways Alliance, who discussed the innovations and collective efforts shaping the future of the oil sands industry.
“So for tonight's speaker - perfectly aligned with the theme tonight, which is synergy - we welcome tonight Wes Jickling with Pathways Alliance,” said LICA board chair Amanda Avery Bibo.
Bibo highlighted the importance of Pathways Alliance, which she said prioritizes collaboration and innovation in oil sands environmental technology, focusing on key areas such as greenhouse gases, water, land, and emissions.
Jickling emphasized the role of collaboration in solving complex problems, using water management as a primary example and setting the stage for a detailed discussion about how water is used within the oil sands industry. He posed key questions, “How do we use it? How do we take care of it? How do we get it?”
Jickling addressed the challenges associated with steam generation used for
in situ bitumen recovery, a common method used in the Cold Lake region. He explained the process involves injecting steam underground to mobilize bitumen for extraction. However, he said this method presents significant challenges, particularly with water interaction.
“You're putting water into that environment, and things happen. You can foul, it's like calcium buildup in your kettle - you can get corrosion.”
“Corrosion, of course, impacts energy transfer and increases the amount of energy needed to do the job,” he said, adding this underscores the need for continued innovation and research to mitigate these issues in the oil sands sector.
To tackle these problems, Jickling highlighted the importance of research and expertise. This research is essential to helping in-situ producers like those in Cold Lake operate more efficiently and sustainably. “The knowledge that we're gaining from this is really going to help us in the field; help us help those in-situ producers in the field.”
Jickling discussed collaboration in other areas including land reclamation where external expertise was sought to reduce the environmental footprint of oil sands operations.
Jickling discussed an innovative approach to addressing land priority challenges within the oil sands sector. He explained that they openly solicit ideas to tackle uncertainties, leading to successful collaborations. One such initiative involved the company Optisize, which uses imaging technology to minimize tree clearing requirements. Their approach has successfully reduced the need for tree clearing by 1.5 per cent showcasing the effectiveness of collaborative problem-solving in achieving environmental goals, he said.
Jickling also highlighted the efforts to capture waste heat and lower emissions in the oil sands. “By capturing waste heat from the steam generation process, boiler flue gas systems, like Condex here, helped optimize energy usage, improved the performance of bitumen production, and ultimately lowered emissions,” he said, explaining the project, like many others, was the result of industry-wide collaboration.
“Major companies come together, and they let their experts sit in a room and talk to each other, and they identify, ‘Hey, we all have that same question. Wouldn't it be great if we could answer that?’”
Jickling acknowledged that these technological advancements take time to develop but he remains optimistic. “You tweak it a little bit, and pretty soon, you've got multiples of these in operation. I mean, I just said that in 30 seconds, (but) it took 10 years. Because it's the industrial scale of this, a massive scale of just how big the oil sands operations are. But it's really cool.”
Jickling emphasized the importance of the Oil Sands Monitoring Program in promoting environmental stewardship. He described it as an extensive and unique initiative, stating that it is among the largest and most comprehensive environmental monitoring programs globally. The program comprises approximately 1,100 monitoring sites that collect vital data, reflecting its significant role in overseeing oil sands operations.
Jickling stressed the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge into the program, which involves collaboration between federal and provincial governments, Indigenous communities, and industry. This collaborative model, Jickling noted, “is very, very Canadian, I would say.”
One of the primary goals of the Oil Sands Monitoring Program is to assess cumulative effects on the environment, with a focus on understanding potential changes in surface water, groundwater, air quality, and ecosystems. “We're trying to assess cumulative effects. So basically, have there been any changes, unexpected changes, or changes beyond what is natural and normal?”*
Jickling highlighted community-based monitoring initiatives in Cold Lake, particularly efforts involving the Cold Lake First Nation. “In Cold Lake, again, there are community-based monitoring initiatives here, Cold Lake First Nation, and I've got a briefing on that this morning, and it really is designed to address the concerns of community members and land users,” he said. One of the main concerns in Cold Lake is “understanding fisheries health and water quality,” which are a priority for local monitoring efforts.
Jickling reflected on the progress over the past decade, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive Alberta report from the Oil Sands Monitoring Program. He noted that while reports summarizing the state of the environment have yet to be produced, they are nearing completion and expressed hope for the release of the environmental report soon.
Jickling closed his presentation by reflecting on the Synergy theme of the event, stating, “I love the opportunity to be here and talk about what I'm passionate about, which is getting all kinds of competitor companies and business communities and governments talking about environmental performance, talking about lowering emissions, doing better in our reclamation efforts, using less water to get a better therapy environment, and using science, research, and technology to do that and be transparent.”
LICA executive director Kristina Morris thanked those who support LICA’s mission.
“I'd like to take a moment to express our gratitude to our board of directors, community members, volunteers, and supporters for their unwavering commitment to LICA. We are also grateful to our partners who support the state's LICA operations and enable us to fulfill our mission.”
She also emphasized the importance of Indigenous knowledge in LICA's programs, stating, “We are continually enriched by the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge into our programs and we are profoundly grateful for the privilege of hearing your stories, experiences, and your traditional knowledge. This deepens our understanding and brings us closer to the path towards truth and reconciliation.”
Bibo echoed this sentiment in her closing remarks, adding, “Together we are going to keep great strides towards achieving LICA's vision and mission. I appreciate everyone's attention, support, and shared commitment to environmental stewardship.”
