Canada's Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has released the results of its dam safety inspections held earlier this year for containment structures used for the development of its energy resources. These include dams and liquid impoundments for oil sands tailing ponds, coal tailings ponds, and oil and gas fluid storage ponds.
AER inspectors have examined 100 of the 111 containment structures that it regulates to ensure that they are constructed, operated, maintained and decommissioned safely. Of the 11 structures not inspected, nine were only recently approved for start of construction. The remaining two will be inspected next year and are considered low risk.
"The AER has a proactive inspection programme in place to ensure that dams and other containment structures related to energy resource development remain in compliance with safety and environmental requirements. The most recent round of inspections uncovered one significant deficiency, which is the subject of an active investigation," said Kirk Bailey, executive vice president of operations with the AER.
