Inventory and assessment of drilling waste sumps in the Mackenzie Delta of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region
Principal Investigator: Graf, Linda H (3)
Licence Number: 13890
Organization: ConocoPhillips Canada
Licensed Year(s): 2005
Issued: Aug 05, 2005

Project Description: This research will help address growing concerns over the use of sumps as a disposal option for drilling waste in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region and is a first step in evaluating the environmental conditions at historic sump sites. The specific objectives of this research include: 1) conducting an inventory of all known specified drilling sump locations within the ISR (including location, last known operator, spud and sump closure date, identification of orphan locations, well description); 2) develop a protocol based on site assessment and risk ranking process; and 3) conduct site assessments using the protocol at company specific sites. A three-member team, including two technical staff and one wildlife monitor will access each site via Inuvik using an A-star helicopter. The work on the sites located on Inuvialuit lands are expected to take approximately 3 hours per site. Field methods for site assessment include: airphotos of the general sites and site features (any ponding, vegetation stress, general terrain); collection of a site description including any debris on site, gravel pads, vegetation growth, wellhead, description of slumping or subsidence; vegetation assessment; soil samples (1 or 2 background samples per site and other areas with visible surface impact); water samples from any area with ponding / pooling (estimated maximum of 4 water samples / site); collection of geographical reference and EM surveys using portable conductivity meters. As per work conducted in 2004, a 200 word non technical summary will be provided to the Aurora Research Institute (ARI) by June 2006. In addition, copies of all final reports will be forwarded to the ARI. Execution of the project will involve employment opportunities for wildlife monitors supplied by the Inuvik Hunters and Trapper Committee, and requires helicopter support from Canadian Helicopters (local business). The study will be conducted at Sholokpaoqak, Shakgatlatachig, Onigat, Ogeoqeoq, Ikhil, Reindeer, Kilagmiotak,