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Water quality in the McLeod River as an indicator for mining impacts and reclamation success (2005 to 2016)

Description

The McLeod River headwaters originate in the Rocky Mountains in west-central Alberta and join the Athabasca River near Whitecourt. Coal mining has occurred in the McLeod watershed since the 1970s... More ≫

Description

The McLeod River headwaters originate in the Rocky Mountains in west-central Alberta and join the Athabasca River near Whitecourt. Coal mining has occurred in the McLeod watershed since the 1970s and more recently, there has been both reclamation and expansion of mine sites in the upper basin. In this study, trends in surface water quality parameters in the McLeod River watershed were assessed over time to understand changes in water quality and associations with active mining and reclamation activity.

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Potential for gas migration due to coalbed methane development

Description

Coalbed gas (CBG) effectively consists of methane with minor amounts of ethane and propane, but no hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Recognition of CBG as an increasingly important energy resource has led... More ≫

Description

Coalbed gas (CBG) effectively consists of methane with minor amounts of ethane and propane, but no hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Recognition of CBG as an increasingly important energy resource has led to rapid expansion of exploration activity. Rapid development started in the 1980s in the western United States of America (USA), and has spread over the last six years to the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Increased production activities have brought increased awareness of environmental issues surrounding CBG development. In particular, reports of negative experiences associated with early CBG development in the USA have raised stakeholder concerns in Canada. Alberta CBG development has largely avoided the water resources issues experienced in the USA from CBG exploitation for two reasons. The major CBG resource plays in Canada to date have been in ‘dry’ coals, while ‘wet’ CBG coals developed in the USA required dewatering in order to recover the gas. Secondly, the rapid...

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