Mosaic Energy Ltd., License a Groundwater Supply - Authorization Renewal
Niton Rock Creek "N" Pool, 08-10-055-11 W5M		 Page D - 7
 

Education Program
 
HCL, on behalf of Mosaic, has developed an educational program to educate Mosaic employees and the general public on water use in the oilfield recovery process. The educational program will consist of online true or false questions regarding regulatory, operational, water use and water conservation topics. Information related to the question topic will be provided to the respondent. The details provided will include information such as facts, statistics, diagrams, and references to websites and publications that offer more detailed explanations on the topic.
 
The educational program for Mosaic employees and the general public will be available on Mosaic's website (http://www.mosaicenergy.ca) by May 20, 2014. The content of the material to be available online is as follows:
  1. Groundwater is part of the hydrologic cycle. True or False?
True

The hydrologic cycle is the continuous circulation of water between Earth's land and atmosphere. Water is transferred from the atmosphere to the land surface as precipitation and is returned to the atmosphere by the process of evapotranspiration. (Evapotranspiration includes both evaporation from the ground and surface water bodies, and transpiration by vegetation). Groundwater is water that infiltrates into the ground from the surface. Groundwater moves through the ground and eventually discharges to the ground surface again, and evapotranspiration will return that water to the atmosphere.

Environment Canada http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=23CEC226-0

  2. Planet earth contains approximately the same amount of water today as 10,000 years ago. True or False?
True

The Earth's water is in constant motion with the hydrologic cycle. Since appearing on Earth, the quantity of water in the hydrologic cycle has been relatively constant, with little water being added or lost. Water that is injected in hydrocarbon reservoirs to recover hydrocarbons will be replaced when the hydrocarbons are combusted to release energy.

Environment Canada http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=23CEC226-0


Mosaic Energy Ltd., License a Groundwater Supply - Authorization Renewal
Niton Rock Creek "N" Pool, 08-10-055-11 W5M		 Page D - 8
 
  3. Groundwater flows through connected pore spaces and fractures in rocks. True or False?
True

Groundwater is the subsurface water that fills all the open space in rocks. The spaces can result from deposition of a sediment, fracturing of the rock as a result of tectonic or weathering stresses, and weathering processes. For groundwater to flow, the spaces must be connected and groundwater flow is from areas of higher water levels to areas of lower water levels; the rate of groundwater flow is controlled by the connectivity between open spaces and the difference between the high and low water levels.

U.S. Geological Survey http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/gw/how_a.html

  4. All groundwater is safe for human consumption. True or False?
False

As a general rule in Alberta, groundwaters that are encountered within 150 metres of the ground surface are usually suitable for human consumption. However, the quality of the groundwater should be checked by Public Health before being consumed, while there are few occurrences of groundwater contamination in aquifers, inadequate water well stewardship does result in unsafe well water.

Below a depth of 150 metres below ground level the concentration of total dissolved solids typically increases and eventually reaches concentrations that are unsuitable for human consumption. Water that have total dissolved solids concentrations of greater than 4,000 mg/L are considered saline.

Facts About Water in Alberta http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/6364.pdf

  5. Fresh water for oilfield injection purposes must be licensed by the Alberta Government. True or False?
True

The Water Act requires that all diversions of fresh water be licensed, with the following exceptions:
  • Household purposes
  • Traditional agricultural use
  • Specific uses identified in the Water Act - Water (Ministerial) Regulation
Saline groundwater diversions are not required to be licensed by the Alberta Government.

Water Act http://www.qp.alberta.ca/1266.cfm?page=w03.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9870779733651
Water Act - (Ministerial) Regulation http://www.qp.alberta.ca/documents/Regs/1998_205.pdf
Fact Sheet - Water Act: Licenses http://environment.alberta.ca/documents/WaterAct_licenses_FS.pdf


Mosaic Energy Ltd., License a Groundwater Supply - Authorization Renewal
Niton Rock Creek "N" Pool, 08-10-055-11 W5M		 Page D - 9
 
  6. By issuing a license to divert groundwater, it has been determined that the groundwater supplies being utilized by households, traditional agricultural users and prior license holders will not be adversely affected. True or False?
True

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development does not issue a license for a proposed diversion and use of groundwater, for purposes other than household use, without prior investigation of the aquifer in which the proposed water supply well is to be completed. The issuance of a license is an assurance that a licensed diversion will not be allowed to continue unchanged, should there be an adverse effect on a nearby groundwater user.

HCL 11-206 SOC responses Compliance Assurance Program http://environment.alberta.ca/documents/ComplianceAssurance-Program.pdf

The main goals of the licensing process that is required by the Alberta Government are to:
  • Protect the water supplies of household users, registration for traditional agricultural users, and prior license holders.
  • Protect the aquifer from overdevelopment
  • Provide confidence in a sustainable supply of groundwater for the applicant's needs
  • Foster beneficial use of the resource, prevent speculation on groundwater, and protect the environment
Guide to Groundwater Authorization (March 2011) http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/8361.pdf

  7. The collection of meaningful groundwater monitoring data is a crucial part of managing Alberta's water resources. True or False?
True

Groundwater monitoring includes, over time, measuring water levels, measuring volumes of groundwater pumped from or flowing from an aquifer, and the quality of the groundwater. The water levels need to be measured at least to the nearest centimeter at an exact moment in time, the volumes should be measures, and the quality of the groundwater must include major anions and cations and any other elements that are particular to the groundwater from a specific aquifer.

Frequency of the water-level measurements should be driven by the water-level changes that are trying to be understood. The measurement of the volume of groundwater discharging from an aquifer is based on the total daily volume and variability of the discharge. Groundwater samples for chemical analysis can be collected every five years, while groundwater samples for microbiological analysis should also be collected any time there is a noticeable change in the groundwater.

To effectively manage Alberta's groundwater resource, the Alberta Government must understand the hydrogeology to properly assess the impact of groundwater diversions on the environment and other area groundwater users. The objective can only be met with the collection and analysis of accurate groundwater monitoring data.

Facts About Water in Alberta http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/6364.pdf


Mosaic Energy Ltd., License a Groundwater Supply - Authorization Renewal
Niton Rock Creek "N" Pool, 08-10-055-11 W5M		 Page D - 10
 
  8. Overall, the use of saline water for oilfield injection purposes has been decreasing over the past twenty years. True or False?
False

Since the mid-1980s, the use of saline groundwater for oilfield injection purposes began to increase. The increasing trend of saline groundwater use is mirrored by a decreasing trend in freshwater use.

Water Used for Oilfield Injection http://environment.alberta.ca/01729.html

  9. Mosaic employs alternatives to the use of fresh water when and where applicable. True or False?
True

Mosaic is a member of EPAC (Explorers and Producers Association of Canada). Mosaic also reflects the content of the following documents: Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) Hydraulic Fracturing Operating Practice: Water Sourcing, Measurement and Reuse and the Industry Collaboration: CAPP Hydraulic Fracturing Guiding Principles and Operating Practices and always considers alternatives to fresh water for its hydraulic fracturing programs. An example of this practice is when Mosaic has substituted nitrogen for fresh water. Recognizing the foremost principle of the documents noted above, Mosaic will safeguard the quality and quantity of regional surface and groundwater resources, through sound wellbore construction practices, sourcing fresh water alternatives where appropriate, and recycling water for reuse as much as practical.

CAPP Hydraulic Fracturing Operating Practice: Water Sourcing, Measurement and Reuse
http://www.capp.ca/getdoc.aspx?DocId=218142&DT=NTV

Industry Collaboration: CAPP Hydraulic Fracturing Guiding Principles and Operating Practices
http://www.capp.ca/getdoc.aspx?DocId=218123&DT=NTV