Toxic Alberta

Following my post on carbon emissions hedge funds, and discussing the role Alberta's oil sands play in Canada's climate change policy, I came across a very interesting film brought to my attention by a friend of mine Drew Marshall. This short film is called Toxic Alberta, and I would suggest taking the facts and viewpoints with a grain of salt, but coming from Alberta and personally having worked in the oil and gas fields as a chemical engineer, there are many issues surrounding the dependency on oil that deserve some thought. It is imperative that if production of the oil sands is to continue, it must be done in a environmentally friendly manner, taking advantage of the latest developments in technology to avoid significant detriment to the environment.

An example of such technologies is, Engineered Drilling Solutions Inc. (EDSI), which is at the forefront of innovation in managing the environmental issues created by the the production of oil and gas. Formed in 2005 with the goal of changing the game in the drilling fluids industry, they deliver better, safer, lower-cost mud systems that improve well-site performance, significantly reduce environmental impact, and dramatically reduce operating and disposal costs.

Few companies can actually lower costs, reduce environmental impact and improve performance. But in the drilling-fluids industry, Engineered Drilling Solutions Inc. is a game changer. From environmentally-friendly drilling mud to the improved disposal of invert cuttings, EDSI is leading the field. And it doesn't stop there. EDSI has developed a proven technique for creating road-building material by taking 4G-based invert cuttings and simply adding RC18. So instead of filling landfills, you can help change the game by recycling the waste sludge into asphalt for paving roads.

EDSI is currently partnered with asphalt and road construction organizations and, with permission from the Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) and Alberta Transportation Board, will be constructing a road built from 4G-based invert cuttings.

It is companies like this that will lead the way in creating a sustainable future as the world wains itself off its dependency on oil.