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Effects Monitoring

Our environmental professionals provide expert knowledge of ecological systems and detailed field information to design monitoring strategies that meet and exceed commitments to regulatory requirements.

Effects Monitoring Services in the Oil Sands Region

AXYS offers post-EIA environmental services to clients in the oil sands regions of Alberta aimed at assisting clients in meeting their environmental commitments. Part of the cumulative effects advisory services includes identifying the appropriate effect management options with a detailed description of selected tools, such as low impact exploration, constraints mapping, and integrated resource management.

Following are examples of the discipline specific effects monitoring provided by AXYS.

Air

We design air quality and meteorological monitoring strategies and programs to meet regulatory, corporate and airshed needs for proposed and existing developments in the oil sands region. Air specialists also conduct air quality monitoring for emission sources during and following construction.

Fisheries

We monitor fish habitats to ensure mitigation of potential harmful habitat alteration, disruption and disturbance in ways consistent with the Water Act Code of Practice and the Fisheries Act. The work our fisheries specialists conduct will ensure that licensing and approval applications for resource developments and linear developments will occur.

Noise

We conduct startup surveys of noise levels at identified receptors of concern surrounding a facility to ensure facility compliance with local regulations. Our noise specialists can also conduct long-term noise monitoring to determine noise levels at receptors of concern to ensure facility compliance.

Soils and Terrain

We provide post-clean-up confirmatory sampling after substance releases to ensure that criteria set out in the Interim Canadian Environmental Quality Criteria for Contaminated Sites are being met. Our soil specialists can also identify erosion prone surfaces on disturbed sites to ensure that damage to the environment and project infrastructure does not occur.

Surface Water

We conduct monitoring on industrial run-off limits at central processing facilities and satellite well pads. Surface water specialists monitor water and sediment quality during instream construction activities during bridge, road and pipeline construction.

Traditional Land Use

We design post-construction monitoring programs with traditional (Aboriginal) users to determine the nature of impacts and whether impacts have occurred. Our traditional land use specialists can also design mitigation and compensation programs for Aboriginal users in the oil sands region.

Vegetation

We conduct wetland monitoring programs to determine the effects of groundwater withdrawals on natural water levels and vegetation wetlands located down stream from major facilities (e.g., central processing facilities). Our vegetation specialists can also conduct monitoring to ensure that revegetation is occurring on post-construction sites.

Wildlife

We monitor sensitive or key indicator wildlife species in compliance with development concerns, such as compliance with Boreal Caribou Committee recommendations. This effects monitoring service can include trend-based surveys for sensitive wildlife species or coordination of monitoring programs relative to each development phase of an oil sands project.