Evaluating topsoil requirements in OSE pad reclamation and the use of biochar as a soil amendment

加拿大艾伯塔省的资源开采要求运营商将土地开垦成同等的土地能力。对于1994年后建立的油砂井场，在**填海过程中，至少需要扰动前表土深度的80%。通常，合适的表土由于储存过程中的损失或分解而供不应求，要实现80%的目标可能**是一个挑战。在世界其他地区，研究表明，在减少表土深度的情况下，可以成功地开垦干旱和灌木生态系统，但需要更多数据来制定**战略，以弥补材料短缺。解决短缺的一个潜在方案可能是用生物炭、堆肥和泥炭等改良剂建造土壤。最近有报道称，在温室和田间研究中，生物炭可以优化土壤功能。在他们的冷湖作业中，帝国石油公司在2015年启动了一项重复的**实验，以确定只放置浅层土壤还是使用富含有机质的土壤**改良剂(泥炭和生物炭)将产生适合可持续开垦的土壤条件。这个项目**将回答是否有更少的表土和有机物质改良剂能够达到**目前所要求的80%表土深度的标准。

Resource extraction in Alberta, Canada requires operators to reclaim land to equivalent land capability. For oil**sands well sites established after 1994, a minimum of 80% of pre-disturbance topsoil depth is required during**reclamation. Often suitable topsoil is in short supply due to loss or decomposition during stockpiling and it can**be a challenge to achieve this 80% target. In other parts of the world, studies have shown that reclamation of**arid and shrubby ecosystems can be successful with reduced topsoil depth, but more data is needed to develop**strategies to compensate for material shortages. A potential solution to shortages might be to build soils with**amendments like biochar, compost and peat. Biochar has recently been reported to optimize soil function in**both greenhouse and field studies . At their Cold Lake Operations, Imperial Oil initiated a replicated**experiment in 2015 to determine if shallow topsoil placement alone or with organic matter rich soil**amendments (peat and biochar) will produce suitable soil conditions for sustainable reclamation. This project**will provide an answer to whether or not less topsoil and organic matter amendments can perform as well as**the current required standard of 80% topsoil depth.