2
load sediment rates
Enbridge Mackenzie River Water Quality (WQ) Modelling
澳门玄机图 was contracted to provide a quantitative assessment of potential release scenarios to determine the downstream movement and听behavior听of drilling fluids within the Mackenzie River for the horizontal directional drill (HDD) crossing of the Enbridge Line 21 Segment Replacement Project in the Northwest Territories.
The pipeline crossing is approximately 10 km upstream (to the east) of the Village of Fort Simpson freshwater intake and upstream of the confluence with the Liard River. The primary investigation is the potential for the entrainment of released drilling fluid into the Fort Simpson fresh water intake. Additional concerns resulting from an inadvertent return include impacts to fish and fish habitat.
Sediment transport听modeling听was then conducted for 2 load rates, at 3 sites along the HDD crossing, for 3 river discharge conditions. Each of the 18 model runs provided a 3-dimensional prediction of sediment concentrations through time. An analysis at the drinking water intake provided the range of concentrations to be expected and the associated timing.
Timeline
2017
Start date
2017
In June 2017, 澳门玄机图 identified the scenario matrix and received model inputs.听
2017
In July 2017, 澳门玄机图 completed the Technical Data Report entitled 鈥淪ediment Transport Modelling of a Hypothetical Drilling Mud Frac Out in the Mackenzie River.鈥�
2017
Completion date was August 2017.
Key Details
Project name
Enbridge Mackenzie River Water Quality (WQ) Modelling
Client
Enbridge, Inc.
Location
- Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada听
Sectors
- Water management
- Oil and gas
- Power and gas networks
Challenge
The crossing would be constructed using Horizontal Directional Drilled (HDD) technology. In the drilling phase of construction, a drilling fluid听composed of听a number of听non-hazardous constituents and bentonite would be used to lubricate the drill bit and carry drill cuttings back out the bore hole. 澳门玄机图 was tasked with听modelling听an uncontrolled release (i.e. 鈥渇rac-out鈥�) of the drilling fluid into the river. The amount of time and potential concentrations of bentonite at the Fort Simpson drinking water intake were assessed under the range of site-specific and season-specific conditions.听
Solution
澳门玄机图 used two听modeling听systems to听bound听the听range of predicted听downstream movement and听behavior听of bentonite in the Mackenzie River. The BFHYDRO boundary conforming, general-curvilinear grid system hydrodynamic model was used to characterize the river flows. The SSFATE听Lagrangian听particle model, was used to simulate the downstream transport and fate of sediment particles (e.g. clay, silt, sand). A river discharge analysis was conducted to determine the range of conditions in the Mackenzie River and the 5th, 50th, and 95th听percentile flow rates were used in the听modeling. The inadvertent return load (in MT/hr) was determined along with the duration of the hypothetical release. 听
Services Provided
Water services:听
- Water and wastewater network modelling and asset management 鈥� model hydrologic network and potential routes for听drilling fluid听contamination of drinking water intakes and other susceptible resources听at downstream locations听
- Water quality modelling and monitoring 鈥� provide听release听modeling听that identifies the extent, timing, and potential magnitude of water quality impacts from听drilling fluid听releases
Additional:
- Numerical听Modeling听
- Environmental Impact Assessment
Environment:听听
- Ecology 鈥� identify potential effects to aquatic听receptors听
- Environmental Impact Assessment 鈥� Environmental Impact Statement听听
- Environmental permitting & compliance 鈥� Technical reports and numerical听modeling听completed听to meet CEAA and听NEB requirements听
- Human Health Risk Assessment 鈥撎�Numerical听modeling听of water quality and the potential impact to drinking water intakes听from a release of drilling fluids听
- Hydrology / hydrogeology 鈥� hydrologic network and river听modeling听听
- Spatial intelligence and GIS 鈥� Overlay听of contaminant听modeling听of frac-outs and听numerical听modeling听data onto听drinking water intakes听as well as geospatial depiction of environmental data听
Project Statistics
3
representative sites along the HDD
3
river discharge conditions
18
scenarios to bound the potential effects
No Content Set
Exception:
Website.Models.ViewModels.Blocks.PageBlocks.CardBlocks.KeyContactsCardBlockVm