RSC Expert Panel: The Behaviour and Environmental Impacts of Crude Oil Released Into Aqueous Environments

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jan. 13, 2015) - The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) announces a new Expert Panel Study on The Behaviour and Environmental Impacts of Crude Oil Released into Aqueous Environments. The Expert Panel was set-up in response to a request from the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) and the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).

"CEPA is pleased the Royal Society of Canada has formed an expert panel to complete this study. We wanted a highly credible, external third party to bring an independent, transparent perspective to this critical research area." said Jim Donihee, Chief Operating Officer of CEPA. "By better understanding the behaviour of various types of crude oil in water, we will be able to improve our spill preparedness and response capabilities. This is a priority for the oil and gas, and pipeline industries."

Greg Stringham, Vice President of Oil Sands for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers added "Canada's oil producers encourage research based on sound science.We strongly support this independent expert research to ensure producers and transportation providers continue to have the best information available to manage our products safely, from production to consumer delivery. This study will add to the foundation of science to ensure that Canada's oil spill prevention and response capabilities are world-class."

The panel was assembled following standard RSC procedures and protocols to ensure disciplinary excellence, independence and objectivity of the panellists. The following six internationally renowned experts have agreed to volunteer their time to serve on the panel (for complete panel member biographies, please visit the RSC's Website):

• Dr. Kenneth Lee, Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia (Panel Chair)
• Dr. Michel Boufadel, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA
• Dr. Bing Chen, Memorial University, Canada
• Dr. Julia Foght, University of Alberta, Canada
• Dr. Peter Hodson, Queen's University, Canada
• Dr. Albert D. Venosa, formerly US-Environmental Protection Agency, USA

Dr. Kenneth Lee, Chair of the RSC Expert Panel noted "The RSC Expert Panel report will provide essential information on the behaviour and potential toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons, at risk of being spilled in Canada, over the range of environmental conditions expected to be encountered, including the Arctic. This information is necessary for environmental risk assessments and decision making in support of spill preparedness and response operations to protect our environment and the sustainability of its living resources."

The complete Terms of Reference can be found on the Society's website. The report is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2015.

The panel will be holding a series of scientific stakeholder consultations between February and June 2015 which will be open and available to the public on the internet in real time as well as being made available later on the Society's website. Formal oral presentations to the panel will be by invitation only, but the panel will accept and consider all written contributions of scientific evidence and its interpretation. Research experts wishing to make an oral presentation to the Panel should contact Russel MacDonald, Officer of Expert Panels.

Established in 1882, The Royal Society of Canada is Canada's senior collegium of distinguished Canadian scholars, artists and scientists.