Advances in Distinguishing Groundwater Influenced by Oil Sands Process-Affected Water (OSPW) from Natural Bitumen-Influenced Groundwater

The objective of this study was to advance analytical methods for detecting oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) seepage from mining containments and discriminating any such seepage from the natural bitumen background in groundwaters influenced by the Alberta McMurray formation. Improved sampling...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hewitt, Mark L., Roy, James W., Rowland, Steve J., Bickerton, Greg, DeSilva, Amila, Headley, John V., Milestone, Craig B., Scarlett, Alan G., Brown, Susan, Spencer, Christine, West, Charles E., Peru, Kerry M., Grapentine, Lee, Ahad, Jason M.E, Pakdel, Hooshang, Frank, Richard A.
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: SOURCE: Sheridan Institutional Repository 2020
Subjects:
Alberta
water pollutants
chemical
sand
carboxylic
acids
groundwater
hydrocarbons
oil and gas fields
Athabasca River
Tar Island
Online Access:https://source.sheridancollege.ca/fast_publications/41
https://source.sheridancollege.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1040&context=fast_publications
Description
Summary:The objective of this study was to advance analytical methods for detecting oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) seepage from mining containments and discriminating any such seepage from the natural bitumen background in groundwaters influenced by the Alberta McMurray formation. Improved sampling methods and quantitative analyses of two groups of monoaromatic acids were employed to analyze OSPW and bitumen-affected natural background groundwaters for source discrimination. Both groups of monoaromatic acids showed significant enrichment in OSPW, while ratios of O /O containing heteroatomic ion classes of acid extractable organics (AEOs) did not exhibit diagnostic differences. Evaluating the monoaromatic acids to track a known plume of OSPW-affected groundwater confirmed their diagnostic abilities. A secondary objective was to assess anthropogenically derived artificial sweeteners and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as potential tracers for OSPW. Despite the discovery of acesulfame and PFAS in most OSPW samples, trace levels in groundwaters influenced by general anthropogenic activities preclude them as individual robust tracers. However, their inclusion with the other metrics employed in this study served to augment the tiered, weight of evidence methodology developed. This methodology was then used to confirm earlier findings of OSPW migrations into groundwater reaching the Athabasca River system adjacent to the reclaimed pond at Tar Island Dyke.

Similar Items