L21a Keystone Pipeline Flashcards
What factors should the company consider when evaluating the proposed routes for the Keystone XL expansion?
The company should assess ecological impacts, potential water contamination risks, existing pipeline capacities, and target market demands.
What are the primary factors contributing to the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer?
Extensive irrigation withdrawals for agriculture and high water demand.
How might industrial activities near the High Plains Aquifer pose a risk to water quality?
Industrial activities can lead to contamination through runoff, spills, or improper waste disposal, introducing pollutants into the aquifer.
What are the primary environmental concerns associated with the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline?
Key concerns include pollution of the Athabasca River, air toxins, loss of farmland, removal of boreal forests, water consumption, and greater ecological disturbances.
How does the Keystone XL Pipeline impact economic considerations in the regions it resides?
The pipeline is expected to create jobs during construction and operation, but it also raises concerns about long-term reliance on fossil fuels and potential negative impacts on renewable energy investments.
What are the potential long-term effects of the Keystone XL pipeline on GHGe compared to conventional oil extraction methods?
The pipeline could lead to greenhouse gas emissions that are 1.3-1.7 times higher than conventional well-to-pump emissions due to the nature of oil sands extraction.
How might the development of oil sands through projects like Keystone XL affect local ecosystems and biodiversity?
It may result in habitat destruction, loss of farmland, and reduced photosynthesis from the removal of boreal forests, leading to a decline in local biodiversity.
Tailing Ponds?
Oil sands tailings contain a mixture of: Water, sand, clay and residual bitumen
What do they do?
- They store tailings from bitumen processing, which have a yogurt-like texture that makes them difficult to solidify.
Why not let the tailings dry and solidify?
- These tailings contain significant amounts of carbon, which can release gases into the atmosphere.
