Practice AP Environmental Science questions on mining wastes, tailings, habitat loss, groundwater contamination, dust, methane, and costs.
As conventional sources of crude oil are depleted, unconventional sources such as oil sands (also known as tar sands) are being utilized. Oils sands contain bitumen, which can be processed into a synthetic crude oil. A region of boreal forest in Alberta, Canada, that covers a deposit of oil sands will be cut and removed during the process of bitumen extraction. It is estimated that the deposit contains 73 billion barrels of recoverable bitumen. The rate of extraction from the deposit will be approximately 1 million barrels of bitumen per day.
Describe TWO environmental consequences, other than those related to the loss of boreal forest habitat, that result from the extraction of bitumen or the transportation of synthetic oil to customers.
(2 points;
1 point for each correct description of an environmental consequence that results from the extraction of bitumen or the transport of synthetic oil to customers)
- Release of greenhouse gases/air pollutants such as NOX from fossil fuel combustion that powers equipment/transportation/oil processing
- Release of air pollutants ( NOx,SOx, or particulates) during mining operations or oil processing
- Storage and disposal of large amounts of solid/liquid mining waste, which can be toxic to organisms
- Pollution of surface water and/or groundwater from oil spills/leaks during transport
- Sediment pollution in surface water and/or groundwater from strip mining
- Disturbance from pipelines, such as habitat fragmentation, disruption of migratory routes, etc.
- Noise pollution from use of machinery during processing or transport
- Diversion/use of water from surface water and/or groundwater for processing oil