As responsible stewards of the environment, we closely monitor the air emissions associated with our operations, proactively work to prevent and respond to spills and manage our waste effectively.
We implement industry-leading environmental management and protection practices and technologies and strive to continuously improve our performance. Our environmental management program is guided by our Health, Safety and Environmental Policy and our quantitative and qualitative environmental performance and regulatory compliance status is reported to our internal Sustainability Steering Committee and to our Board-level Sustainability Committee on an annual basis.
We actively mitigate air emissions, including nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), from our operations. Our mitigation methods include maximizing operational efficiencies, implementing best practices and complying with local, state, regional and federal laws and regulations.
Our air emission reduction efforts include, but are not limited to:
| Air Emissions | Metric Tons |
| Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) | 475.3 |
| Sulfur Oxides (SOx) | 4.99* |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) | 609.21 |
| Particulate Matter (PM) | 50.39 |
*2020 SOx data restated due to enhanced reporting procedures
In 2022, our NOx, SOx, PM and VOC emissions increased due to the acquisition of the Sendero and Oasis Midstream assets as well as the inclusion of the Willow Lake system and Orla processing plant emissions during the second half of 2022 following the assets becoming wholly owned by Crestwood. The increases from the new assets were partially offset by the divestiture of the Barnett and Marcellus shale assets.
To learn more about our efforts to monitor and reduce GHG emissions, visit the Carbon Management section.
We understand water stewardship is an important topic for several stakeholders and adhere to all applicable environmental laws, regulations and permit conditions related to water.
We work to conserve water during construction and operations through our environmental inspection and compliance programs. We also recognize the importance of effectively managing our water use when developing and planning a new pipeline right-of-way. As part of our detailed routing and construction process, we review routing options to minimize environmental impacts, including water resources.
Water consumption plays a relatively minor role in pipeline operations, with hydrostatic testing being one of the most common uses. Hydrostatic testing is a crucial step in ensuring that pipelines are safe and reliable. While the amount of water used for hydrostatic testing is relatively small in comparison to other industries, we remain committed to minimizing our water consumption.
We understand water stewardship is an important topic for several stakeholders and adhere to all applicable environmental laws, regulations and permit conditions related to water.
As we work to conserve water during construction and operations through our environmental inspection and compliance programs, we also recognize the importance of effectively managing our water use when developing and planning a new pipeline right-of-way. As part of our detailed routing and construction process, we review routing options to minimize environmental impacts, including water resources.
Water consumption plays a minor role in pipeline operations, with hydrostatic testing being one of the most common uses. Hydrostatic testing is a crucial step in ensuring that pipelines are safe and reliable. While the amount of water used for hydrostatic testing is relatively small in comparison to other industries, we remain committed to minimizing our water consumption.
We are also focused on assisting our producers in the Williston Basin with conserving freshwater for the state of North Dakota. For example, we have successfully worked with multiple producers to reduce freshwater usage by providing produced water via pipeline to fracturing locations in North Dakota at rates of up to 11,000 barrels per day.
Crestwood has redelivered 1,475,764 barrels of water on the Arrow system to date, which equates to the elimination of 10,500 truckloads.
Our comprehensive waste management approach focuses on reducing our environmental impacts and protecting human health. We have full waste management plans for all our facilities that reflect specific operational activities and regulatory requirements that align with our corporate Waste Management Standard.
For more information about our waste management practices, see the Environmental Management section in our 2021 Sustainability Report.
| Waste (Metric tons) | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Non-hazardous waste | 747 | 831 | 1,739 |
| Hazardous waste | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Landfill disposal | 629 | 679 | 1,688 |
| Recycled disposal | 118 | 153 | 50 |
1 Increased waste volumes in 2021 and 2022 are partially a result of implementing more robust tracking systems. We look forward to improving our waste management practices as the quality of our data improves.
Preventing the release of any potentially harmful substances is a top priority at Crestwood. We implement robust operational requirements and engineering controls to reduce the risk of spills and our employees and contractors are trained to uphold responsible practices and be prepared to respond if needed. After any incident, we thoroughly examine the root cause and take measures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Crestwood’s response plans include:
Our plans are reviewed at least annually and are updated as necessary. We test our response preparedness and capabilities through comprehensive drills that utilize pre-determined scenarios.
Our asset integrity program encompasses designing, operating and maintaining pipelines, facilities and infrastructure to ensure safe and effective performance while minimizing operational risks and meeting regulatory requirements. We assess asset integrity throughout the entire life cycle, from development to decommissioning, to maintain value and improve efficiency. Our Asset Integrity team, which includes engineers, corrosion specialists and field technicians, is responsible for upholding the integrity, reliability and efficiency of our assets in conjunction with our local operating teams.
To reduce environmental and safety risks, we provide our employees with industry-leading environmental training annually. We achieved our participation goal in 2022, with 100 percent of employees completing their required training. Our field-based team members also receive training on environmental awareness, ground disturbance and excavation, SPCC plans, hazardous waste and Crestwood-specific initiatives, such as flare minimization.
100% of our employees completed their required environmental training
Our Environmental Management Information System (EMIS), which integrates with our asset management systems, operator inspection logs and work order task manager programs, monitors permits and regulatory compliance. Through regular visual inspections and self- and third-party audits, we ensure compliance, incorporating lessons learned to drive continuous improvement and mitigate risk.
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2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
|
Number of External Environmental Inspections |
15 |
18 |
20 |
As we continue to enhance our environmental management approach, in 2023, we aim to: