Something that is becoming more common is low impact pipelines. Companies are changing the way they build to reduce the footprint. Things like changing the way a right of way is stripped to reduce erosion, digging a narrower ditchline to reduce both root damage and ROW width and changing construction methods to reduce the area cleared.
As an example, I recently worked on a 10 km 12" pipeline. Traditionally the right of way would be 20 m wide in cross country sections and 15 m when following an existing pipe corridor. Totaling about 17 hectares of cleared forest. We were instead able to apply for an area that was under 10 hectares.
This is just one example of a change that is a benefit to both the company and the environment and it is happening every day at all levels of the oil patch.
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