Innovative Tools to Minimize Environmental Impacts

Life-Cycle Value Assessment (LCVA) is one of the key business analysis tools Petro-Canada employees apply to integrate and balance environmental and economic decisions.

Working with the Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development, an independent public-interest and advocacy organization and non-profit consulting group, Petro-Canada conducted a Life-Cycle Value Assessment of the MacKay River oil sands project prior to finalizing the original design for the project's Development Plan Application in 2001.

By integrating environmental planning into all aspects of a project, Petro-Canada expects to reduce environmental impacts while improving project economics. These assessments are now being applied to other projects.

Petro-Canada joined together with other operators in the MacKenzie Delta and commissioned a study on minimizing the cumulative environmental effects of activity in the area. The work was undertaken by Inuvialuit Environmental and Geotechnical Inc., assisted by Bison Historical Services, and has resulted in a package of baseline environmental and heritage data that will enable understanding of cumulative effects of activity in the region.