Page 67 - AIF - English

future disposal in accordance with regional regulations, Industry Collaboration Initiatives

which may include injection into underground wells.
For areas of environmental concern, the need for energy
companies to increase collaboration with each other, and
The Government of Canada manages the use of chemicals
through its Chemical Management Plan and
with their respective stakeholders, is a particularly critical
issue for the oil sands industry.
New Substances Program. Some provinces require the
details of fracturing fluids to be submitted to regulators. In As part of the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative (OSLI), Suncor

Alberta, the AER requires that all fracturing operations worked closely with other companies in an effort to make
submit information regarding the quantity of fluids and tangible improvements to environmental, social and

additives, and other Provinces of Canada have, or have economic performance in the oil sands industry. These
indicated that they will in the future, apply similar reporting companies came together to pool financial resources and

requirements.
expertise. OSLI focused on land stewardship, water use,
technology innovation and sustainable communities. OSLI
While hydraulic fracturing has been in use for some time,
the proliferation of fracturing in recent years to access has been superseded by the Canadian Oil Sands Innovation
Alliance (COSIA). COSIA has 13 oil sands member
hydrocarbons in unconventional reservoirs, such as shale
formations, has raised concerns about the interaction of companies and is committed to collaborative action to
accelerate improvements in environmental performance,
fracturing fluids with the water supply, and the possibility including tailings, water, land and GHG emissions. COSIA
of seismic events.
will build on the work of OSLI and other collaborative
networks to share knowledge and expertise about new
Joint Controls/Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil
technologies and innovation related to environmental
Sands Monitoring
performance.
Canada and Alberta recently adopted the Joint
In addition, Suncor and six other oil sands mining
Controls/Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands
Monitoring (Monitoring Plan). The intent of the Monitoring companies announced the creation of the Oil Sands Tailings
Plan is to provide a scientifically credible, integrated Consortium in December 2010, and agreed to work

approach to environmental monitoring, including an together in a unified effort to advance tailings
improved understanding of the cumulative environmental management. This initiative is now part of the COSIA. Each

impact of oil sands development. The total costs to the company has pledged to share its existing tailings research
industry of enhanced monitoring under the Monitoring and technology, and to remove barriers to collaborating on

Plan have been estimated at approximately $50 million per future tailings research and development. In turn, the
year. The cost to Suncor under the Monitoring Plan are companies are committing to future research investments

estimated at approximately $10 million per year.
to further accelerate tailings technology advances.

SUNCOR ENERGY INC. ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM 2014 65