OTHER INCIDENTS

March 7, 2014: The provincial government announces CNRL faces 11 charges under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act in connection to the release of hydrogen sulphide gas from a project near Fort McMurray on Aug. 2. 2012. Hydrogen sulphide gas was released from CNRL’s Horizon upgrader facility, leading to reports of high ambient air monitoring and complaints from residents of Fort MacKay.

March 7, 2014: The Alberta Energy Regulator turns down an application by CNRL to resume oil production next to a leaking site where bitumen has been oozing to the surface for more than 10 months near Cold Lake. More than 11,000 barrels have come to the surface on the Primrose site, on the Cold Lake Air Weapons range.

Jan. 3, 2014: A fault in the cement casing in a well at CNRL’s Primrose site near Cold Lake allows 27,000 litres of bitumen to seep into the adjacent rock layer. No bitumen came to the surface.

July 31, 2013: CNRL announces 16 birds, seven small mammals and 38 amphibians have died following earlier leaks at four separate locations in the company’s Primrose site, on the Cold Lake Air Weapons range. To date, about 6,300 barrels of bitumen emulsion has been collected at the sites, the company says. It believes the cause of the seepage is mechanical failures of well bores.

July 18, 2013: The Alberta Energy Regulator orders CNRL to stop injecting high steam into the ground through the wellhead that is leaking at its Primrose South location. The leak was discovered June 24, 2013 at an unnamed water body.

June 14, 2013: CNRL is ordered to halt steaming at its Primrose East project after three releases of bitumen are discovered. It’s not clear how long the sites were leaking before the first problem was discovered. In 2009, at the same location, 5,600 barrels of bitumen were leaked in to the environment.