Alberta's climate change challenge -- Examining the challenge -- Rising temperatures, changing precipitation -- Greenhouse gas emissions -- Water use for energy production in Alberta -- Current water allocation, use and consumption -- Potential future water use -- Water use for electricity production -- Introduction -- Coal-fired electricity generation -- Coal mining -- Coal-fired electricity generation -- Coal gasification -- Carbon capture and storage -- Electricity from gas -- Natural gas -- Nuclear energy -- Uranium extraction -- Nuclear power plants -- Hydroelectricity and run-of-river hydro -- Other types of renewable energy -- Biofuels -- Geothermal energy -- Solar power -- Wind energy -- Future water demands for electricity -- Water use for gas and oil production -- Introduction -- Well development -- Natural gas production -- Introduction -- Conventional natural gas -- Coalbed methane -- Shale gas and tight gas -- Conventional oil production -- Water production with conventional oil -- Conventional enhanced oil recovery -- Oil from bitumen -- Introduction -- Oil sands mining -- In situ oil sands production -- Upgrading in central Alberta -- Future water demands for the oil and gas sector -- Implications for Alberta's energy production -- Potential impacts on the environment -- Electricity systems that use less water -- Reducing fresh water use in the oil and gas sector -- Re-use of produced water -- Cutting water use in oil sands production -- Meeting the challenge: recommendations -- Increase efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- Conserve energy and switch to processes with low/no water requirements -- Take practical steps to reduce fresh water use -- Quickly implement water conservation targets -- Ensure Alberta environment's policy for oilfield injection is effective -- Encourage beneficial re-use of water -- Better protect groundwater -- Improve the recharge of groundwater -- Ensure protection of deeper aquifers for future generations -- Better manage water resources -- Improve knowledge of climate change impacts on water resources -- Improve monitoring of water quality and quantity -- Set absolute limits on water withdrawals to protect ecosystems -- Develop integrated watershed management plans -- Provide Alberta environment with adequate resources -- Accelerate research on ways to reduce water use -- Putting a price on water use for energy production -- In conclusion
