Another day, another oil spill. This time, Cenovus Energy Inc. has been issued a cleanup order by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) after spilling more than 1,000 litres of diesel into Rainbow Lake.
This latest spill occurred last week, prompting the AER to slap the company with a non-compliance order.
According to the AER, the spill came from a temporary diesel-powered generator in the northwest corner of Alberta, roughly 140 kilometres west of High Level.
Dangerous wildfires in May forced many energy companies to shut down production, including Cenovus. Specifically, the company had to shut down its operations in Rainbow Lake, Kaybob-Edson, Elmworth-Wapiti, and Clearwater.
On June 6, Cenovus stated it would resume production at its Rainbow Lake site within seven to ten days. At the time, the company used diesel-powered generators as part of its wildfire response.
But on June 17, around 2,000 litres of diesel spilled from the generator and onto the ground at the site. Between 1,000 and 1,500 of these litres eventually reached Rainbow Lake and the surrounding area.
In response to the spill, Cenovus activated its emergency response plan, notified the AER, and contacted its third-party contractors to contain and recover the oil.
Cenovus told The Globe and Mail that it deployed several booms to contain the spill, and remediation is underway. Booms are temporary floating barriers designed to contain an oil spill.
On June 20, the AER ordered Cenovus to report the incident to the parties that could be negatively affected by the spill, including nearby Indigenous communities.
At its Rainbow Lake site, Cenovus must also test daily for hydrocarbons, which are harmful compounds found in fossil fuels.
However, the company told The Globe and Mail that its most recent sampling detected no hydrocarbons in the monitored areas, including where the diesel entered the water.
“We have been closely following AER direction, updating our stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, and will continue to provide the AER with regular updates and information as the remediation continues,” Cenovus told The Globe and Mail.
While Cenovus has yet to detect hydrocarbons in the area, it is important to note that Rainbow Lake is used recreationally and by nearby Indigenous communities.
The lake is also home to different fish species, such as walleye and northern pike. This makes Rainbow Lake a popular local walleye sportfishing destination.
According to a 2018 Rainbow Lake Fisheries Management Objectives survey, walleye and northern pike populations were listed as very high risk.
An oil spill in Rainbow Lake could devastate local wildlife and the communities that regularly use the lake.
