Respect for the environment: a critical part of our project development
Cenovus staff examine an area where an exploratory well was drilled five years ago to see how the land reclamation process is progressing.
Christina Lake, located in northeast Alberta, is one of our two major oil sands projects. The oil at Christina Lake is deep under the ground, which means it has to be drilled and pumped to the surface using steam assisted gravity drainage. The reservoir has huge potential, with an expected gross production capacity of approximately 258,000 barrels per day by the end of 2019. As such, we’re spending time getting to know the forest around the facility. Working with third-party environmental consultants, we’re collecting baseline environmental data for regulatory applications and future project development.
Our team of environmental advisors invests care and attention into understanding the soil conditions and surrounding vegetation of the natural habitat. The data we’re collecting on soil, vegetation, plants, trees, wildlife and water will factor into how we design protective measures and future land reclamation plans before we begin any future expansions of Christina Lake.
“Reclamation is a critical consideration for us as we plan for our projects,” says John Brannan, our Executive Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer, who recently toured the area. “We have a commitment to restore the land once our projects are complete.”
