Oil – Well Abandonment
The AER sought feedback on updates to Directive 020: Well Abandonment. Changes were proposed to section 5.4, which would amend the requirements for the abandonment of cased-hole wells penetrating an oil sands zone.
The proposed changes will allow for routine abandonment of wells that penetrate an oil sands zone using the Directive 020 requirements in section 5.3, “Wells Not Penetrating the Oil Sands Zones,” if the subject well meets the criteria and requirements for low thermal potential.
Wells penetrating an oil sands zone are eligible for routine abandonment if a professional geoscientist conducts a geological review or the subject well is within the boundary of an oil sands area that the AER has assessed as having a low potential for thermal development.
