The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has laid charges against Nexen Energy ULC related to a pipeline spill in July 2015.

The five charges under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and the Public Lands Act come after the company reported a spill to the AER at the company’s Long Lake in situ oilsands facility approximately 36 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray.

“AER staff responded immediately to the pipeline spill,” said Martin Foy, vice-president of environment and operational performance. “Since then we’ve been gathering and reviewing the evidence to determine the cause of this incident and whether the company complied with AER requirements.”

The company reported that the spill released approximately 5,000 cubic metres of emulsion (a mixture of crude bitumen and produced water). The spill was estimated to have affected an area of about 21,900 square metres.

“Producing oil or gas in Alberta comes with a responsibility to follow all requirements to protect the public and environment,” said AER president and CEO Jim Ellis. “When we believe that the rules are not followed, we have a variety of tools, including laying charges that we can and do use in an attempt to ensure that potential offenders are held accountable.”

The first court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 16, 2017, in Fort McMurray.

Based on a recommendation by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service the following charges have been laid:

• One count under section 109(2) of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) for releasing a substance to the environment that caused or may have caused an adverse effect.
  
• One count under section 110(1) of EPEA for failing to report the release of the substance as soon as possible.
  
• One count under section 112(1)(a)(i) of EPEA for failing to take all reasonable measures to remediate.
  
• One count under 112(1)(a)(ii) of EPEA for failing to take all reasonable measures to remediate, manage, remove or dispose of the substance to prevent an adverse effect.
  
• One count under section 54(1)(a.1) of the Public Lands Act (PLA) for causing a disturbance to public land.