COLD LAKE, Alta. – The Primrose oilsands project in northern Alberta has been issued an environmental protection order.
The Alberta government says Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (TSX:CNQ) must remove most of the water from one of its bitumen leak sites before it freezes.
The government says in a release that removing the water from the affected waterbody will help permanent containment measures be put in place over the winter.
The water can be restored next spring.
In July, the Calgary-based company said a mechanical failure at an old well was behind ongoing bitumen seepage at its project on the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range.
About 1.5 million litres of bitumen has since been recovered from the area.