Spills of Diluted Bitumen from Pipelines A Comparative Study of Environmental Fate, Effects, and Response (2016) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 11-20
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From page 11... ...
In the U.S., hydraulic fracturing technologies have been widely applied to extract oil from shale formations or other typically inaccessible, lowpermeability rocks. In Canada, petroleum products have been extracted from "oil sands" or "tar sands." Together, these streams have increased North American production of crude oils by 46% since 2008.4 The oil sands yield bitumen, a highly viscous form of petroleum that is produced by surface mining or by in situ recovery.
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Although rising North American crude production has resulted in greater transport of crude oil by rail or tanker, oil pipelines continue to deliver the vast majority of crude oil supplies to U.S. refineries.
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transmission pipelines.2 An expert committee completed a comprehensive analysis and review of the available data on the chemical and physical properties of shipments of diluted bitumen and other crudes, examined pipeline incident statistics and investigations, and consulted experts in pipeline corrosion, cracking, and other causes of releases. The analysis covered many aspects of pipeline transportation including an explanation of the U.S.
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From page 14... ...
While this report does not address any of the particular aspects of those transportation modes, many of the environmental effects of spilled oil are independent of the method of transporta BOX 1-1 Statement of Task An ad hoc committee will analyze whether the properties of diluted bitumen differ sufficiently from those of other crude oils commonly transported in U.S. transmis sion pipelines to warrant modifications of the regulations governing spill response plans, spill preparedness, or cleanup.
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From page 15... ...
To date, several reports have been published that examine the properties,6 toxicity,7 and composition of diluted bitumen products derived from the Canadian oil sands.8 Other recent reports focus on the behavior and fate of spills in marine5b,8-9 and freshwater environments.5b,9a,10 Many of these reports were prepared as a result of the release of diluted bitumen into the Kalamazoo River by a break in the Enbridge 6B pipeline in Marshall, Michigan, on July 25, 2010. The total release was estimated to be 843,444 gallons, one of the largest freshwater oil spills in North American history, with cleanup costs exceeding $1.2 billion.11 The Marshall release attracted attention because of the broad extent and consequences of the release and the unprecedented scale of impact.12 The data and information gathered from experts and reports have been critical to addressing the statement of task and supporting the recommendations found herein.
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pipeline system. In the United States, production of heavy crude oil has been roughly constant even as production of light crude oil production has, in recent years, grown rapidly.15 The principal domestic sources of heavy crude oil are in California, which produced 199 million barrels in 2013, 16 most of that being transported by pipeline within the state.17 Because heated TABLE 1-1 Types and Quantities of Crude Oil in the U.S.
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From page 17... ...
.2,6 Bitumen blended with synthetic crude usually has a mixture of about 50% bitumen and 50% synthetic crude,5b whereas bitumen blended with naphtha-based oils derived from conventional crudes or from condensates derived from natural gas typically contains a mixture of about 70% bitumen and 30% light oils.2 Bitumen blends also vary seasonally in order to meet specifications for density and viscosity at the temperature of the pipeline. Synthetic crude oil can be upgraded bitumen, upgraded heavy crude oil, or a mixture of those products, and makes up 6% of the total oil being transported by pipeline.
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, whereas other crude oils are transported throughout the contiguous United States. This is the basis for identifying light and medium crudes as commonly transported and indicating that a comparison between diluted bitumen and these crude classes provides a meaningful basis for addressing the statement of task.
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It also reviews relevant crude oil spills and considers potential spills in a variety of environmental settings including land, groundwater, inland waters, and coastal zones. Chapter 4 describes the current planning and implementation of response to spills of crude oil.
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From page 20... ...
The differences between commonly transported crude oils and diluted bitumen are presented in three separate tables organized in terms of environmental transport, fate, effects, and spill response describing the relevant properties, potential outcomes, and levels of concern. Chapter 6 focuses on the adequacy of current regulations governing spill response plans, preparedness, and cleanup.
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