--> Abstract: Investigation of the Groundwater Flow System within an Oil Sand Tailings Dyke, Suncor Energy, Alberta, Canada, by G. P. Hunter; #90925 (1999)

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HUNTER, GRACE P., University of Waterloo, Earth Sciences Dept., Waterloo, ON, Canada

Abstract: Investigation of the Groundwater Flow System within an Oil Sand Tailings Dyke, Suncor Energy, Alberta, Canada

The study site is located at a Canadian oil sand mining development. Open pit mining techniques are used to excavate oil sand, from which bitumen is extracted and sand tailings are produced. This investigation examines groundwater flow within a tailings pond and containment dyke, located adjacent to the Athabasca River.

The goal of the investigation is to improve the understanding of the hydraulic processes acting within the pond/dyke system, in order to assess water and contaminant flux from different sources within the system.

Investigation procedures include a review of existing site data, collection of additional data in the study area, and groundwater flow modeling. Collected field data include hydraulic measurements in wells, soil and water samples from various locations, and borehole geophysics. Laboratory soil and water analyses are being conducted. The data will be used to provide appropriate input parameters for the numerical model. Water chemistry will be used to identify the source of groundwater in various locations, and to calculate mass fluxes.

The investigation will provide a better understanding of the flow system at an oil sand tailings site, leading to the development of long-term environmental management strategies. The project can benefit similar structures that may be constructed in the future, by identifying potential contaminant mechanisms in advance so that they can be effectively addressed. 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90925©1999 AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid