Program of Energy Research & Development (PERD)
PERD Project Proposal
2014-15
Please read the instructions in each header box and provide all the information requested. Incomplete proposals
will be returned to the proponent.
IMPORTANT: It is the proponent’s responsibility to ensure that this proposal has the approval of his/her
management – DG (or equivalent) or as duly delegated. When submitting the proposal to OERD, please
indicate that such approval has been obtained. Submissions that do not include that indication will be
returned.
1.0 PROJECT INFORMATION
Portfolio Name: Fossil Fuels
Technology Area Name: Frontier Oil and Gas
Program: Northern Regulatory Requirements
Sub-Program Area: Regulatory Requirements for Offshore Drilling and Production Wastes,
Assessment of Cumulative Effects and Remediation of Accidental Offshore Discharge & Spills
and Remediation of Accidental Offshore Discharges and Spills
Project Title: Natural Attenuation as an Oil Spill Response Strategy in the Arctic
Continuation of an Existing Project or New Project: Continuation of project
PERD Project Code (if it is an existing project): B42.001A
Project Type (basic, applied, field test, etc.): applied, field testing and knowledge generation
Location/Province: Quebec and Nunavut
Intramural/Extramural: Intramural
Project Leader: Charles Greer
Organization: National Research Council Canada
Address: 6100 Royalmount Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada. H4P 2R2
Phone : 514-496-6182
E-mail: charles.greer@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE
2.1 Project Description:
In this section, please address the following points:
1. What is the key knowledge or technology gap that the project intends to address? What is the strategic
importance of proceeding with this project?
2. What are the objectives of the project? Provide a clear description and rationale. Explain the problem the
project is trying to solve in order to allow the reader to understand the need for it. For example, if the project is
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intended to improve a technology, why does it need to be improved?
3. Describe what will be done in the project, including an overview of the methodology and tasks.
4. Describe any expected environmental and socio-economic benefits from the intermediate and final outcomes
of the project. Consider how the proposed project will have benefits if implemented with future projects.
5. As appropriate, briefly describe similar work already being undertaken in Canada or elsewhere and indicate
how this proposed project would fill a gap. What are the similarities with other initiatives? How are they
different? What are the complementary aspects?
6. Who would benefit from the proposed activities?
7. Overall, what are the final outputs (deliverables) and the immediate/intermediate and long-term outcomes
of the proposed project?
8. If it is a continuation of an existing project, what is the rationale for continuing it?
Need and strategic importance – key knowledge/technology gap
The impacts of climate change in the Arctic, with higher temperatures and less ice cover, mean increased
resource exploitation, more shipping traffic and increased risks of oil spills. Petroleum exploration and
exploitation poses a risk of accidental oil spills/releases. Oil spill mitigation and countermeasures in the Arctic
are complicated by the presence of ice for most of the year and the unique oceanographic and hydrographic
conditions. Therefore, developing mitigation and remediation strategies for accidental oil spills in the Arctic
requires a combined approach that takes into account the presence of ice and the contrasting coastal and
offshore environments.
The Arctic sea-ice environment is rapidly changing (Serreze et al., 2000; Stroeve et al., 2007, 2008). Based on
the annual recession of sea ice observed during the past decade, an increase of marine traffic is expected
within the Northwest Passage. This traffic, along with increasing urban and industrial activities associated with
offshore oil and gas exploration and production and the transport of crude oil and its refined products (i.e. fuel
oils), has amplified the probability of accidental oil spills. The Arctic natural reserves in oil have been estimated
to be as high as 400 billion barrels, but more realistic estimates place this amount closer to 90 billion barrels
(USGS, 2008). Increased hydrocarbon exposure may translate into a greater health risk for indigenous people
and endanger the endemic wildlife. Public concern over the development of offshore oil and gas in the Arctic
(including deepwater sites off the shelf) has increased following the recent Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the
Gulf of Mexico. With anticipated increases in both marine traffic in the Northwest Passage due to climate
change and industrial operations (e.g., offshore oil and gas exploration/production activities), inevitable
spillages that occur during routine operations and transport are expected. Petrogenic parental and alkylated
PAHs, which are within the priority list of pollutants in the Arctic (AMAP, 2004), are of particular concern.
Public concerns over oil spills in the Arctic may hamper the permitting of future exploration and production
activities.
Petroleum hydrocarbons are not foreign substances within the Arctic environment due to releases from
natural seepage, etc. The combination of a number of biological, physical and chemical processes are
responsible for the progressive lost of these and other contaminants. New evidence as a result of advances in
biotechnology (i.e metagenomics) is now suggesting that oil in the Arctic may be degraded at higher rates by
indigenous organisms (that are adapted to their environment) than previously thought. The introduction of
hydrocarbons to the environment or an elevated amount of them has been shown to increase the catabolicgene copy numbers among the microbial community (Heiss-Blanquet et al., 2005; Stapleton and Sayler, 2000;
Whyte et al., 2002), indicating the potential use of these catabolic genes as bioindicators of oil contamination
and/or biodegradation. Although various chemical and microbiological aspects of petroleum oil degradation in
marine systems have been relatively well studied in Arctic regions (Boehm et al., 1987; Haines and Atlas, 1982;
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Hodson et al., 2002; Owens et al., 1994), there is a general lack of knowledge concerning the diversity or
abundance of the oil-degrading bacteria in relation to the extant hydrocarbon pollution. Likewise, compared to
the amount of knowledge of the diversity of oil catabolic genes and levels of expression in oil-contaminated
soils (Luz et al., 2004; Whyte et al., 1997; Whyte et al., 2002), our understanding of this diversity in Arctic
marine systems is very limited.
In this context, it is essential to evaluate the potential for natural degradation of hydrocarbon by microbial
communities associated with the presence of seawater and sea ice communities.
Until recently, the ecological significance of microorganisms and their critical roles in many environmental
cycles has not been fully appreciated due to limitations in analytical procedures. In this project we aim to apply
the most recent advances in environmental genomics (metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses) to
evaluate ecosystem impact and recovery following a hypothetical oil spill under Arctic conditions. As a result of
advances in the application of environmental genomics to study the structure and function of whole microbial
communities, there has been a shift in our understanding of the natural rates of degradation of petroleum
hydrocarbons spilled in the marine environment. This was clearly demonstrated within the Gulf of Mexico
following the Deepwater Horizon MC252 oil spill where the American Society of Microbiology concluded that a
major fraction of oil was naturally removed by the metabolism of the oil by microorganisms. The question we
will address is whether natural attenuation would be an effective process in the Arctic, where conditions are
considerably different from those encountered in the Gulf of Mexico.
There is an urgent need to understand the factors controlling the transport, fate and biological effects of
petroleum hydrocarbons spilled in the marine environment. In the Arctic, the presence of sea ice will play an
important role in entrapping oil and transporting it to locations that could be some distance from the source
areas. Understanding the fate of oil in ice and the role of potential indigenous hydrocarbon-degrading
microorganisms both in the sea ice and in the surrounding seawater are essential for the conduct of
environmental risk assessments, the development of oil spill countermeasures, and the monitoring of habitat
recovery in the event of a spill. A lack of scientific knowledge for the development of sound policies and
regulations may temper the development of Canada’s Arctic oil and gas industry.
Over the last three years of the PERD project, a detailed screening program was performed that allowed us to
develop baseline data of indigenous microbial community structure and function, in the area of Resolute and
to perform initial studies on the use of a mesocosm study system to evaluate the impact of oil and oil plus
dispersant on the indigenous microbial response to a potential oil spill in this area of the Arctic. The
preliminary results suggested that indigenous microbial populations contained hydrocarbon-degrading
microbial species and that degradation, even under ambient Arctic conditions (temperatures below zero),were
possible. These preliminary results require further validation to ensure that the indigenous microbial
populations are present and active at other times during the year. The purpose of the present study is to
evaluate the indigenous microbial populations at another time during the year to validate that the
hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria are a normal component of the indigenous population throughout the year.
To address the knowledge gap and the scientific questions posed, in this study we intend to show that oil
catabolic genes are present in the Arctic microbial community, that they are actively being transcribed, and
that the biodiversity of microorganisms is such that a succession of different-stage hydrocarbon-degrading
microbes is a strong probability following an experimental oil release.
Objectives
The primary objective of this project is to identify and assess the natural attenuation capacity of pristine and
contaminated Arctic marine systems in response to potential increases of petroleum hydrocarbon inputs using
next-generation sequencing as a method to characterize and monitor natural microbial population structure
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and function.
Specific objectives:
 To develop baseline data on indigenous microbial community structures in natural marine seawater and sea
ice in Arctic environments.
 To assess the microbial and genetic capacity of the system to clean itself from residual oil contamination.
 To identify measurable, quantitative parameters such as the active transcription of mRNA of oil-catabolic
genes, to correlate the levels of transcripts with the available concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons and
associated chemical data of contaminated media.
 To use environmental genomics and chemical data to monitor the impacts of a contamination event on the
microbial community and the rate of oil biodegradation in controlled microcosm and mesocosm studies under
ambient Arctic conditions.
Work proposed including methodology & tasks
To achieve these objectives we propose to perform a screening study to evaluate the microbial diversity in the
seawater and sea ice (if available) during the fall and to perform a series of microcosm and mesocosm studies
to evaluate the response of the microbial community to oil inputs and to determine the inherent degradation
rates under ambient Arctic conditions.
Milestones:
1.
Collection of seawater samples during the late summer of 2014 for the characterization of the
indigenous microbial population using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic techniques. The outcome of this
task will provide stakeholders with information on the potential of indigenous microbial populations to
respond to oil inputs in an Arctic environment, which will help direct oil spill countermeasure development.
2.
Evaluate the indigenous microbial population for oil degradation activity using microcosm and
mesocosm studies. Determine impacts on indigenous populations and the potential for the stimulation of oil
degrading microbial species.
3.
Identify the rate of hydrocarbon degradation in mesocosm and parallel microcosm studies
Detailed Methodology:
Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) will be isolated from both sea ice (if available) and seawater samples following
filtration. 16S rRNA gene sequencing (amplicon sequencing) and shotgun metagenomic sequencing of
seawater and ice core (if available) samples using Ion Torrent and Illumina MiSeq sequencing will be
performed in order to collect baseline data on the distribution and potential of indigenous and oil-degrading
bacteria. The ability of Ion Torent to provide 10–100 fold more sequence data than commonly used 454
pyrosequencing combined with careful primer design will enable targeting of gene regions with high
taxonomic distribution. In addition, MiSeq shotgun metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequence data will
be generated to evaluate total sample diversity and the expression of targeted catabolic genes (hydrocarbondegrading genes), respectively.
We are aware of one Illumina shotgun metagenomic study in human gut samples (Qin et al., 2010). The
comparable complexity of sea ice and seawater samples makes the use of this shorter read technology feasible
for shotgun metagenomic sequencing. We will mine the metagenomic datasets for genes related to
hydrocarbon degradation, such as the alkane monooxygenase gene, polyaromatic hydrocarbon dioxygenase
genes, genes related to nutrient cycles (e.g. N, C, P, S) and genes related to ecosystem productivity (e.g.
photosynthesis). This analysis will be carried out on non-impacted (natural/pristine) samples (starting
material), as well as on samples subjected to oil contamination or oil contamination with dispersants
(impacted) in microcosm and mesocosm studies.
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Our approach will consist of examining the metatranscriptomic differences of sea ice and seawater in oil
contaminated and pristine samples. To determine the active microbes and pathways at work under various
conditions, mRNA isolated from all sea ice and seawater samples (and converted to cDNA) will be sequenced
by Ion Torrent or MiSeq methods whose depth of coverage will help counter-balance the high degree of noise
inherent in analysis of total RNA pools (Urich et al, 2008). Whole community transcripts will be sequenced
from parallel sea ice and seawater before and after exposure to hydrocarbons. Metatranscriptomic datasets
will be carefully screened for the expression of hydrocarbon (aliphatic and aromatic) degradation genes, but
will also be mined to potentially identify other expressed genes not directly related to hydrocarbon
degradation, such as genes involved in stress responses, genes involved in nutrient cycles (e.g. N, C, P, S) and
to ecosystem productivity (e.g. photosynthesis). Data will be analyzed for significant differences through the
time course (mesocosm incubations) and between impacted and non-impacted samples. The level of
expression of genes of interest in the sea ice and seawater will be confirmed using RT-qPCR assays (Yergeau et
al., 2010b). The expression of different genes of importance will be correlated with sea ice and seawater
characteristics and pollutant levels in order to better understand functioning of these dynamic microbial
ecosystems. Evaluations will target detection of key organisms (overall phylogenetic make-up of the bacterial
community; hydrocarbon degraders), as well as identification of candidate genes whose expression could be
indicative of bioremediation.
Sequences will be analyzed as previously described (Yergeau et al., 2010a) using publicly available pipelines
(MG-RAST, Meyer et al 2008) and custom made Perl, Python and other scripts. An array of statistical analyses
(ANOVA, Multiple linear regression analyses, Discriminant analysis and Canonical correspondance analysis) will
be used to assess relationships in sea ice and seawater characteristics, hydrocarbons, microbial taxa diversity,
species richness, and community structure.
Microcosm and mesocosm studies:
Microcosm and mesocosm studies will be conducted at the PCSP facilities in Resolute. Tanks in the mesocosms
will be used that will allow the incorporation of seawater and its overlying sea ice. The tanks will be incubated
under ambient Arctic conditions, and samples of seawater and sea ice will be collected over a 2-period for
analysis. Conditions in the tanks will include seawater and sea ice alone, seawater and sea ice with oil and
nutrients, seawater and sea ice with oil, nutrients and dispersant and filtered seawater with oil, nutrients and
dispersant. Additional conditions will be evaluated in microcosms to evaluate the impacts of seawater and sea
ice independently, as well as with and without added nutrients (N and P sources). Depending on the actual
conditions encountered in the fall in Resolute (presence or absence of sea ice), the tank contents will be
modified accordingly.
Sample analysis will include extraction of total DNA and RNA and metagenomic and metatranscriptomic
sequence analysis. We will perform phylogenetic analysis of total microbial community structure and identify
specific genes associated with hydrocarbon degradation that have been up-regulated in response to the
presence of HC and determine if the presence of dispersant or nutrients have had an impact on hydrocarbon
degradation by analyzing residual hydrocarbon concentrations in the seawater.
Multivariate statistical analyses will be used to link the abundance/expression of various bacteria/functional
genes with the abundance of specific oil components. In its entirety this study will yield an unprecedented,
detailed temporal view of sea-ice microbial community development, response to contamination (both
potential and actual) and subsequent hydrocarbon degradation.
Intended achievement – environmental and socio-economic benefits
The development of a metagenomic/metatranscriptomic baseline dataset of microbial community structure
and function in the Arctic marine environment will serve many researchers and regulators in future studies or
monitoring activities on the impacts to, and responses of the indigenous microbial communities to various
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stressors and inputs and help to identify key members of the community or their functions that are susceptible
or positively responding to such events. The database will also serve as a repository for future prospecting for
interesting functions, enzymes (eg. low temperature-active proteases or lipases) or organisms.
The development of appropriate oil spill response strategies for the Arctic regions will contribute to better
management and stewardship of the Arctic ecosystem, including the health of indigenous human populations.
Successful oil remediation protocols will have international market potential, as industrial exploration and
exploitation activities in cold ocean environments increases.
The overall goal of this program is to provide knowledge on the capacity of the Arctic marine system to clean
itself in case of accidental oil inputs into the environment, and to provide information on the persistence of
the contaminants based on biodegradation rates obtained from the field. This information is essential for risk
assessment and the development of policies and regulations that will be needed to guide future natural
resource development.
Links to previous work
This project would represent a continuation of a previous PERD funded project entitled ‘Natural Attenuation as
an Oil Spill Response Strategy in the Arctic’ (PERD B42.001A), under the Frontier Oil and Gas portfolio that was
terminated early. Continuation of this project will enable completion of the work with the inclusion of
additional data on microbial community structure and function later in the year, thus providing a more
complete dataset on indigenous microbial hydrocarbon-degrading capacity throughout the year.
The work proposed here is unique in that no one else is producing data of this type for the Canadian Arctic.
This baseline data is critical to having a reliable yardstick with which to evaluate and monitor risks and their
impacts and to monitor ecosystem recovery following disturbance.
SINTEF (Norway) is one of the leading organizations studying oil spill issues in the Arctic. They have performed
numerous studies through the Joint Industry Program (JIP), some of which provide excellent background and
potential options. None of these studies have however, exploited environmental genomics for indigenous
microbial community characterization and there is very little data available on oil biodegradation under
inclement Arctic conditions. Other researchers are and have been studying oil degradation in the marine
environment. Notably, Terry Hazen (Hazen et al. 2010; Mason et al. 2012) recently reported that the
disappearance of residual oil in the Gulf of Mexico from the Deep Water Horizon 252 spill was associated
microbial degradation processes based on the results of metagenomics, performed by his team. Temperature
did not appear to be a major limiting factor as significant rates of oil degradation were observed within the
subsea plume of dispersed oil at a depth of 1300m (temperature ~4°C). Scientists at the University of Alaska
and Exxon/Mobil recently published work (McFarlin et al. 2014) on hydrocarbon degradation in the seawater
at -1°C, supporting that this activity does occur and can be enhanced. However, to date, work of this type has
not been performed in the Canadian Arctic marine environment, nor have the indigenous microorganisms,
responsible for this activity, been structurally and functionally characterized.
Intended audience
Scientific deliverables will be published in technical publications and peer-reviewed scientific publications and
genomic data will be made available in public databases (e.g. GenBank). The results of this research will be
discussed with the oil spill response community, as the results will have a direct bearing on the direction and
magnitude of oil spill response efforts required in Canada’s Arctic waters, including government departments
responsible for strategy and policy development (EC, DFO, NRCan).
Immediate, intermediate and final outcomes
Immediate outcomes:
Baseline dataset of the indigenous microbial community structure and function in the Canadian Arctic marine
environment (seawater and sea ice).
Data on the hydrocarbon degradation potential of the microbial community and on its response to the
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presence of oil under ambient Arctic conditions.
Intermediate outcome:
Development of oil spill countermeasures for the Canadian Arctic marine environment
Final outcome:
Adoption of Arctic oil spill countermeasure protocols by industry.
References:
AMAP, 2004. AMAP Assessment 2002: Persistent Organic Pollutants, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment
Programme (AMAP), Chapter 2: 5-20 Oslo, Norway.
Boehm, P.D. et al., 1987. Comparative Fate of Chemically Dispersed and Beached Crude Oil in Subtidal
Sediments of the Arctic Nearshore. Arctic, 40(1): 133-148.
Haines, J.R. and Atlas, R.M., 1982. In situ microbial degradation of Prudhoe Bay crude oil in Beaufort Sea
sediments. Marine environmental research, 7(2): 91-102.
Hazen, T. C., E. A. Dubinsky, T. Z. DeSantis, G. L. Andersen, Y. M. Piceno, N. Singh, J. K. Jansson, A. Probst, S. E.
Borglin, J. L. Fortney, W. T. Stringfellow, M. Bill, M. E. Conrad, L. M. Tom, K. L. Chavarria, T. R. Alusi, R.
Lamendella, D. C. Joyner, C. Spier, J. Baelum, M. Auer, M. L. Zemla, R. Chakraborty, E. L. Sonnenthal, P.
D'Haeseleer, H. Y. N. Holman, S. Osman, Z. M. Lu, J. D. Van Nostrand, Y. Deng, J. Z. Zhou, and O. U. Mason.
2010. Deep-Sea Oil Plume Enriches Indigenous Oil-Degrading Bacteria. Science 330:204-208.
Heiss-Blanquet, S., Benoit, Y., Maréchaux, C. and Monot, F., 2005. Assessing the role of alkane hydroxylase
genotypes in environmental samples by competitive PCR. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 99(6): 1392-1403.
Hodson, P.V., Cross, T., Ewert, A., Zambon, S. and Lee, K., 2002. Evidence for the bioavailability of PAH from
oiled beach sediments in situ, Environment Canada Arctic and Marine Oil Spill Program Technical Seminar
(AMOP) Proceedings, pp. 379-388.
Luz, A., Pellizari, V., Whyte, L. and Greer, C., 2004. A survey of indigenous microbial hydrocarbon degradation
genes in soils from Antarctica and Brazil. Canadian Journal Microbiology, 50(5): 323–333.
Mason OU, Hazen TC, Borglin S, Chain PSG, Dubinsky EA, Fortney JL et al. (2012). Metagenome,
metatranscriptome and single-cell sequencing reveal microbial response to Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ISME
J 6: 1715-1727.
McFarlin, K.M., R.C. Prince, R. Perkins and M.B. Leigh. 2014. Biodegradation of dispersed oil in Arctic seawater
at -1°C. PLoS ONE 9(1): e84297. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084297.
Meyer, F., Paarmann, D., D'Souza, M., Olson, R., Glass, E.M., et al., 2008, The metagenomics RAST server - a
public resource for the automatic phylogenetic and functional analysis of metagenomes. BMC Bioinformatics
9: 386.
Owens, E.H., Humphrey, B. and Sergy, G.A., 1994. Natural cleaning of oiled coarse sediment shorelines in Arctic
and Atlantic Canada. Spill Science and Technology Bulletin, 1(1): 37-52.
NOAA (2010) Oil Budget Calculator: Deepwater Horizon. The Federal Interagency Solutions Group, Oil Budget
Calculator Science and Engineering Team, November 2010. 49 pp.
Qin, J,J,, Li, R.Q., Raes, J., Arumugam, M., Burgdorf, K.S., et al., 2010, A human gut microbial gene catalogue
established by metagenomic sequencing, Nature 464: 59-65.
Stapleton, R.D. and Sayler, G.S., 2000. Changes in subsurface catabolic gene frequencies during natural
attenuation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Environmental Science and Technology, 34: 1991-1999.
Serreze, M.C., Walsh, J.E., Chapin, F.S.I., Osterkamp, T., Dyurgerov, M., Romanovskyet al. (2000) Observational
evidence of recent change in the northern high-latitude environment, Climatic Change 46: 159-207.
Stroeve, J., Holland, M.M., Meier, W., Scambos, T. and Serreze, M.. 2007, Arctic sea ice decline: faster than
forecast, Geophysical Research Letters 34(L09501): doi:10.1029/2007GL029703.
Stroeve, J., Serreze, M., Drobot, S., Gearheard, S., Holland, M., et al., 2008, Arctic sea ice extent plummets in
2007, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union 89(2): 13-14.
Urich, T., Lanzén, A., Qi, J., Huson, D.H., Schleper, C. and Schuster, S.C., 2008, Simultaneous assessment of soil
microbial community structure and function through analysis of the meta-transcriptome. PLoS ONE 3: e2527.
USGS, 2008, 90 Billion Barrels of Oil and 1,670 Trillion Cubic Feet of Natural Gas Assessed in the Arctic
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(http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1980, Accessed November 28, 2010).
Whyte, L.G., Bourbonniere, L. and Greer, C.W., 1997. Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons by
psychrotrophic Pseudomonas strains possessing both alkane (alk) and naphthalene (nah) catabolic pathways.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 63(9): 3719-3723.
Whyte, L.G., A. Schultz, A.P. Luz, V. Pellizari, D. Labbé and C.W. Greer. 2002. Prevalence of alkane
monooxygenase genes in Arctic and Antarctic hydrocarbon contaminated and non-contaminated soils. FEMS
Microbiol. Ecol. 41: 141-150.
Yergeau E., Hogues H., Whyte L.G., and Greer C.W., 2010a, The functional potential of high Arctic permafrost
revealed by metagenomic sequencing, qPCR, and microarray analyses, The ISME Journal, 4: 1206-1214.
Yergeau E., Lawrence J.R., Korber D.R., Waiser M.J., and Greer C.W., 2010b, Meta-transcriptomic analysis of
the response of river biofilms to pharmaceutical products using anonymous DNA microarrays, Applied and
Environmental Microbiology, 76: 5432-5439.
2.2 Key Milestones
Please clearly link each final output to the immediate and/or intermediate and/or long-term outcomes to which
it is directed.
Project Activities/Tasks
Measurable Outputs1 for
Major Milestones
Anticipated Outcomes2
Screen seawater and sea ice
samples from Resolute from a
fall sampling timeline
Comparative data for spring
screening results collected in
previous years of PERD study
Genomic/metagenomic dataset of
temporal and spatial microbial community
diversity data in Arctic marine environment
(filling data gap)
Identification of hydrocarbon
degradation potential of
indigenous microbial
community under Arctic
conditions
Diversity and functional data
identifying hydrocarbon
degradation potential in
Arctic Marine environments
Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic
datasets of microbial structural and
functional diversity for oil spill
countermeasure development
Microcosm and mesocosm
data on hydrocarbon
degradation capacity under
ambient Arctic conditions
Kinetics of hydrocarbon
degradation under ambient
Arctic conditions
Oil spill countermeasure development data
for potential policy and regulatory adoption
2.3 Targets & Deliverables for 14/15
Knowledge
The public and other NGO environmental groups are using the lack of knowledge on the fate and effects of oil
in Arctic marine waters and the availability of oil spill response capabilities as a means to derail offshore oil and
gas exploration and production activities in the Arctic.
To address these concerns, there is an urgent need to gain knowledge of the current baseline levels of
1
Outputs are tangibles (reports, papers, presentations, models, etc.)
2
Outcomes are the intended results of our actions (e.g. developed proof of concept, filled knowledge gap, influenced
codes and standards, provide critical information to policy makers, developed new technology all for the main purpose to
reduce of energy and emissions)
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microbiological diversity in Arctic marine areas in order to estimate both the capacity of the system to clean
itself in case of accidental oil inputs in the environment, and the persistence of the contaminants based on
biodegradation rates obtained from the field.
 The results of this research can provide critical data that will be used to support decision-making regarding
oil spill contingency and response plans.
 Address a demonstrable knowledge gap concerning the capacity of indigenous Arctic microorganisms to
degrade oil under ambient Arctic conditions.
 Respond to exploration and development emergency scenarios by explaining what would happen to
petroleum hydrocarbons accidentally released and provide valuable data for the development of oil spill
countermeasures.
 Address both the regulatory and stakeholder concerns.
Technology
Development of validation of the use of next-generation sequencing to characterize the indigenous microbial
community structure and function in the Canadian Arctic.
Results will contribute to the development of oil spill response countermeasures in an Arctic marine
environment.
Degradation kinetics of oil in the Arctic marine environment under ambient conditions and scenarios that may
enhance this activity (use of added nutrients, dispersants) will contribute to the development of timely and
effective oil spill responses.
Dissemination
Scientific deliverables will be published in technical publications and peer-reviewed scientific journals in
addition to presentations at national and international conferences. The metagenomics sequence datasets will
be made available in public databases to provide long-term benefits to future researchers, industry and
government stakeholders, regulatory and policy makers. The results of this research will be discussed with the
oil spill response community, as the results will have a direct bearing on the direction and magnitude of oil spill
response effort required in Canada’s Arctic waters.
3. PARTNERS
Organization
Type of Contribution
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Chemical (hydrocarbon) analyses
4. R&D PROJECT TEAM (Include only the principal members - those people who will be engaged in the
project on a substantive and ongoing basis over the duration of the project.)
Team Member
Organization
Charles Greer
NRC
Percentage of their time
allocated to project
(assuming a year)
10
Relevant Expertise
Marine microbiology,
Hydrocarbon biodegradation,
Environmental genomics
Etienne Yergeau
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NRC
15
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Microbiology,
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Metagenomics,
Metatranscriptomics
Nathalie Fortin
NRC
25
Microbiology,
Environmental genomics
Thomas King
DFO
10
Petroleum chemistry
Sylvie Sanschagrin
NRC
20
Microbiology, metagenomics
5. INTERNATIONAL (If applicable, describe anticipated international collaborations.)
None anticipated at this time.
6. PROJECT FINANCING
6.1 Funding sources
Sources
2014/15
Proposed PERD $K (by department)
PERD
120
Departmental A-Base $K (indicate department) Proponents with limited
access to A-Base should note such.
DFO
10
Other Public $K (federal, provincial, municipal, etc. - identify)
NRC
40
Industry Partner Contributions Budgetary $K (identify partner - provide
details or a letter of intent from partner)
Industry Partner Contributions - In Kind (value in $K) (identify partner –
provide details)
Academia Partner Contributions - Budgetary value $K (identify partners –
provide details)
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Academia Partner Contributions - In-kind value $K (identify partners –
provide details)
A. Total $K PERD
120
B. Total Project Value (including in-kind)
170
6.2 Proposed Application of PERD Funds
Values in $K
2014/15
Performer/Sponsor 1 (NRC)
Salary
44
EBP (20% of Salary above)
9
Operating specify if it is
equipment purchase
52
Grants & Contributions
Performer/Sponsor 2 (DFO)
Salary
EBP (20% of Salary above)
Operating specify if it is
equipment purchase
15
Grants & Contributions
7. TECHNOLOGY / KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND DISSEMINATION (Please explain how the
technology and /or new knowledge arising from this project will be made available to stakeholders. Consider:
published reports, web sites, databases, presentations at conferences and workshops, etc. Will any aspect of it
be confidential? If yes, please explain.)
Scientific deliverables will be published in technical publications and peer-reviewed scientific journals
in addition to presentations at national and international conferences. The metagenomics sequence
datasets will be made available in public databases to provide long-term benefits to future
researchers, industry and government stakeholders, regulatory and policy makers. The results of this
research will be discussed with the oil spill response community, as the results will have a direct
bearing on the direction and magnitude of oil spill response effort required in Canada’s Arctic waters.
Research results from this work would not be considered as confidential.
PERD
PERD Project Proposal
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The project proposal will be screened and assessed based on the following criteria.
Screening:

Does the submission indicate that it has the support of the proponent’s management?

Is the submission complete?
Criteria:
General



Does the project respond to particular Canadian energy opportunities and challenges?
Does the project address environmental benefits to Canada (e.g. GHG and CAC mitigation options,
support to regulations)?
Does the project address socio-economic benefits to Canada?
Technical Merit

Does the proposal provide a clear description, objectives and rationale of the project?

Does the proposed project address a key knowledge or technology gap that requires new or additional
research?

Does the proposal have a strong technical merit?

Is similar work already being undertaken in other R&D organizations in Canada or elsewhere?

Does the proposal present a relevant and appropriate statement of tasks, outputs and outcomes?

Capabilities of the proponents: Capacity to deliver?
Collaborations and Partnerships

Will there be any collaboration with other research organizations in Canada and abroad?
Technology / Knowledge Transfer and Dissemination

Is the proposed technology and/or knowledge dissemination plan adequate and appropriate?
Funding

PERD
What is the quality of the project’s plan in terms of realistic cost projections?
PERD Project Proposal
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