ABSTRACT: Environment and Exploration: Looking after Mother Earth from Desert to Tropical Rain Forest

DEKKER, FONS, and WAYNE SPELLER, Petro-Canada, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Virgin territory is a valuable commodity. This is recognized in the developed nations through comprehensive environmental legislation and popular action. Protection of the environment is an integral part of our culture--partially because we can afford it. The exploration industry has designed its own environmental code of ethics to protect not only the environment but also our industry. In developing countries, the government's view is usually focused on short-term problems and the population has to deal with day-to-day survival: There is little room for environmental concern.

Many oil companies have developed environmental standards that meet or exceed the governmental requirements and the industry code of ethics. Implementation of these standards in developing countries is a continuously evolving process because of rapidly increasing experience in international exploration, highly variable cultures and operating conditions, and cost considerations.

Petro-Canada's Environmental Operating Guidelines provide a checklist that is continuously challenged and upgraded for each project. This preproject assessment, together with the design and implementation of the environmental program, and the postproject audit is a team effort with shared responsibilities for all involved: It is part of the corporate culture to try and operate in all cases with the highest possible standards.

Exploration case histories from the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, the Rhub al Khali Desert in Yemen, and varied tropical environments in Senegal/The Gambia illustrate the practical applications of responsible environmental policy.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91012©1992 AAPG Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 22-25, 1992 (2009)