Cold Regions and permafrost

AMEC is a world leader in cold regions and permafrost engineering. Since the early 1960s, AMEC has been a prime geotechnical and environmental consultant on most major North American arctic projects related to pipelines and ancillary facilities. The tradition of excellence initiated in the early years and the state-of-the-art approaches developed by AMEC engineers and environmental specialists continues today with a team of professionals dedicated to innovation, technical excellence and economic solutions to geotechnical and environmental problems in the north and at high elevations.

AMEC is a leader in cold regions engineering and environmental sciences. The company provides professional services to government and industry for projects such as roads and airports, resource development, pipelines, arctic offshore structures, schools, hospitals and residential and commercial developments. The company also undertakes site characterizations and cleanup design. Projects have been undertaken in the Canadian, American and Russian arctic, and in alpine regions of North and South America and Asia. As environmental issues need to be addressed, AMEC has been there to provide the right solutions as required.

Where permafrost ground exists, development can often lead to degradation of the frozen soil. This can produce differential settlement, slope instability, and increased erosion. In the case of pipelines operating in discontinuous permafrost, frost heave may also be an issue. In-situ testing, sampling and monitoring are used to establish the geothermal regime of the ground. Computer modeling is used to predict the geothermal impact of development and assist in evaluation of solutions and mitigative measures. Proprietary computer programs allow for modeling of one, two and three dimensional problems. The prediction of frost heave or thaw settlement can be calculated directly as a result of the analysis. Construction methods are developed to reduce the impact on the geothermal regime and the sensitive eco-systems present in cold regions.

Reclamation of sensitive disturbed alpine and permafrost terrain is an important issue. AMEC professionals have prepared test plots, pilot programs and have organized and managed many reclamation projects. Where arctic or cold regions experience is a requirement, AMEC is a world leader.

AMEC maintains offices with arctic and cold regions capabilities in Fairbanks, Alaska; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta and Moscow, Russia. All offices are staffed with professionals with years of cold regions experience.

Experts are available in site investigation and characterization, mining, hydrocarbon development, transportation corridors, remote sensing, foundation design, offshore structures, hydrogeology, environmental impact assessments, environmental protection plans, remediation engineering, negotiations with aboriginal groups, land claims, socio-economic impacts and geographical information systems.

Specific projects undertaken by AMEC are listed below: 

• Canadian Forces Base - Alert (permafrost engineering, directional drilling) 
• Baydaratskaya Bay Pipeline Crossing, Russia (permafrost and geotechnical engineering, environmental management) 
• KomiArctic Oil, Russia (permafrost and geotechnical engineering, environmental services) 
• Treminco Resources, N.T. (mine engineering and tailings dam stability assessment) 
• Hydroelectric Project, Bolivia (geotechnical and geological engineering) 
• Northern Field Oilfield Development, Russia (environmental sciences, socio-economic studies, regulatory assistance) 
• Bovanenkovo Gas Field, Yamal Russia (environmental sciences, route selection) 
• Siberian Petroleum Production, Russia (environmental review, socio-economic studies) 
• Canmar Drilling Platforms, Beaufort Sea (stability analysis, geothermal analysis) 
• Snare Transmission Line, N.T. (permafrost engineering, field monitoring) 
• Power Generating Station, N.T. (geotechnical engineering, liquefaction potential assessment) 
• Recreation Complex, Inuvik, N.T. (permafrost engineering and geothermal modelling) 
• Deadhorse Airport, Deadhorse Alaska (environmental sciences and wetland permitting) 
• North Slope Alaska (gravel borrow source study in every major village) 
• Nuiqsut Airport, Alaska (arctic hydraulic fill placement for runway)
• Confidential pipeline project and gas processing facility, Alaska (pipeline integrity monitoring, frost heave mitigation, geothermal modelling, foundation and site development design) 
• Pogo Mine Alaska, (tailings management design, hydrogeology, foundations) 
• Fairbanks Frost Heave Facility (re-development, project management, permafrost engineering)