Pembina's Functioning Oil Spill Control Cooperative
Authors: O&apos;connell P.D. , Krenkel P.H. 
Published: March 2010

In August. 1970, the Pembina Area Pollution Control Cooperative held its first organizational meeting. The Cooperative included producing, pipeline and processing companies that operate within the Pembina field, a 3,000 well oilfield area located in Alberta.

This paper reviews the accomplishments of the Cooperation during its first year, which include the conducting of an oil-spill control test on a major river. The paper concludes that (1) an effective oil-spill control organization can be readily established on a voluntary basis by members of the petroleum industry, (2) most oil spills occurring in producing operations can be handled by equipment and personnel normally available in the oil field, and (3) the use of specialized equipment can improve the efficiency of the recovery operation.

Introduction

THE PEMBINA OIL FIELD is located some 60 miles southwest of Edmonton, Alberta. The field covers an area approximately 60 by 30 miles, of which less than half is cultivated for mixed farming, the reminder being forest lands. The field is traversed by one very large river the North Saskatchewan, and a number of other streams, the largest of which is the Pembina River from which the field got its name.

The field produces over 150,000 BOPD, primarily from the Cardium Formation. There are c1ose to 3,000 producing oil wells and a multiplicity of [18socia ted water injection wells, gathering and treating facilities, gas processing and compression plants, waterflood facilities and pipelines (Fig. 1).

In early 1970, the companies operating in the field concluded that their long-standing concern with protection of the environment required formalization. AM a result, a meeting of all operators in the field was held in August, 1970, at which time the Pembina Areu Pollution Control Cooperative Committee was established. This paper reviews the progress and status of this cooperative, which was to become the model for the producing segment of the Canadian petroleum industry and other oil-spill control organizations.

Membership, Organization, Expenditures

From the outset, the cooperative has received wholehearted support and encouragement from all segment of industry, the local community and the government of the Province of Alberta. The active membership will the cooperative includes all of the producing, pipeline and gas-processing companies operating' in the field (Table 1).

The formal organization (fig. 2) of the cooperative consisted of the following.

The Chairman, selected on the basis of maximum "interest" in the cooperative based on producing well count (see "expenditures" below), and having the customary duties of that office, the over-all coordination of pursuit and accomplishment of the cooperative's objectives. A Steering Committee, comprising an executive committee of a relatively small number of members, representing a substantial majority interest in the cooperative and having the responsibility of assisting the chairman, particularly in the coordination of the work of the two committees described below. The Drainage Basin Committee, charged with detailed investigation of topography, including water courses and access, selection of spill control points, spill-control planning generally and preparation of a spill-control contingency manual.