Environmental Commitment
Total conducts all its activities with the preservation of natural resources and protection of the environment factored into its planning.
Total Canada will use all reasonable means and best commercially available technology to minimize potential environmental impacts on the land, air and water. We are committed to developing economically achievable solutions to these issues through active participation in regional stakeholder groups.
Water Management
The Joslyn North Mine Project differs from conventional oil sands processes. Total Canada is researching a versatile extraction process that requires less water and will result in earlier reclamation of the land.
An additional water-saving strategy is to build a water storage capacity for the project that will cover a 90-day period (the industry average is 30 days). The stored water will be used during low-flow periods in the Athabasca River. This means that when river levels are low, water will not need to be withdrawn from the river.
We are committed to building a permanent fresh water lake and to reconstruct a stream to restore fish habitat. Also, the use of dry tailings will make the Joslyn North Mine project less water intensive and will facilitate the land reclamation process.
Climate Change
Global warming is a growing concern, and Total Canada is serious about managing greenhouse gas emissions. We are continually researching and testing new and innovative ways to reduce carbon dioxide and improve energy efficiency.
Total is a research leader in carbon-capture and storage – a technology still in the development stage – and has research and development centres around the world. We are a member of the Integrated CO2 Network, an alliance of government and industry organizations that are studying the feasibility of collecting, transporting, and storing carbon dioxide underground.
Total has completely self-funded a €60 million carbon capture project in the Lacq area of southwestern France as an example of how we are investing in technology improvements without government funding.
Active Environmental Participation
Total is a member and contributor to major environmental and socio-economical regional initiatives in the Athabasca oilsands area, including:
- Cumulative Environmental Management Association (CEMA)
- Regional Aquatic Monitoring Program (RAMP)
- Wood Buffalo Environmental Association (WBEA)
- Oil Sands Developers Group (OSDG)
- Industry Bird Deterrent Committee
- Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI)
- Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI)
- ICO2N Network (ICO2N)
- Alberta EcoTrust
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