A crude oil pipeline operated by Trilogy Energy Corp has released an unknown volume of oil emulsion, a mixture of oil and produced water, into surrounding marshland, according to the Alberta Energyย Regulator.
Trilogy employees conducting a right-of-way inspection on the pipeline, located at the companyโs Kaybob Montney oil project near Fox Creek, Alberta, discovered the spill on Octoberย 6.
Both the cause and volume of the spill remainย undetermined.
An Alberta Energy Regulator spokesperson told DeSmog Canada that an inspector and staff are on site to ensure โan appropriate response to the incidentโ but could not provide more details on theย spill.
An update published on Trilogy Resourceโs website Tuesday evening says the pipeline has been shut in and purged to contain the source of the leak and added, โthe volume of the spill has yet to beย determined.โ
The company, managed by Calgary Flames co-owner Clayton Riddell, 
In 2011 a spill from a pipeline operated by Plains Midstream contaminated just over three hectares of beaver habitat and muskeg in a remote area nearย Little Buffalo, territory of the Lubicon Cree First Nation, after releasingย 28,000 barrels of oil, almost 4.5 million litres, into the environment. It is considered one of the largest oil spills in Alberta’sย history.
According to the Alberta Energy Regulator, the Trilogy Energy spill location made the incident difficult to respondย to.
โItโs tough to access. Itโs really densely vegetated. The past few days have been spent creating an access to the impacted area so the crews can begin the deliniation [sic] and remediation work,โ a spokesperson for the regulator told the Edmonton Journal.
Cause & Volume of #OilSpill in #Alberta Wetland Still Unknown 6 Days In https://t.co/GcYdBb4Lm7 #cdnpoli #ableg @carollinnitt
โ DeSmog Canada (@DeSmogCanada) October 13, 2016
โTrilogy has developed a diversion plan that will minimize the infiltration of surface water and prevent further disbursement of oil,โ the update from the companyย reads.
โEnvironmental specialists, wildlife experts and crews are on site assessing the situation, working closely with the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER).โ
โSampling and monitoring, recovery, waste management and wildlife and water control plans have been developed and are pending AERย approval.โ
The statement adds the company is collecting water and soil samples and that wetland and environmental assessments are ongoing. The company says efforts are in place to monitor and deter wildlife from entering the spillย zone.
According to research conducted by the Florida State University, oil companies consistently underreport oil spill volumes, especially in instances of small spills and in remoteย areas.
In July, Husky Energy drew criticism for failing to properly report a pipeline spill that contaminated the North Saskatchewan River, a major source of drinkingย water.
An incident report on the Alberta Energy Regulator’s website claims โthere have been no reported impacts to wildlifeโ from the Trilogy pipeline release, although a spokesperson told the Edmonton Journal that response crews found two dead birds at the spill site as well as impacted beaverย lodges.
A request for comment from Trilogy Resources went unanswered by time ofย publication.
