Transporting Alberta oil sands products : defining the issues and assessing the risks

"In this report we examine the issues associated with the transport of products derived from Alberta oil sands through the U.S., focusing on how this increased activity might change the calculus of spill risk in various ways. We begin with an introduction to oil sands production and transportation, highlighting the economic drivers of those activities and the environmental impacts in Alberta. The bulk of the report focuses on a number of the key issues, including a summary of past and projected spills of diluted bitumen and other oil sands products; a detailed outline of where oil sands products are being transported; the chemical and physical properties of oil sands products; an introduction to potential environmental and human health impacts of oil sands products; an outline of risk mitigation approaches in oil transport, planning, and spill response; and a summary of the regulations pertinent to oil transport and spills. We conclude with a summary of the gaps in information, research, and policy, and suggest some recommendations for how policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders might proceed in the future"--Background (page 15). Shanese Crosby, Robin Fay, Colin Groark, Ali Kani, Jeffrey R. Smith, Terry Sullivan, and Robert Pavia ; technical editor: Gary Shigenaka . "September 2013." Includes bibliographical references (p. 134-152) 2013 NOS (National Ocean Service) ORR (Office of Response and Restoration) Library Public Domain 1935