Facilities – Partial Reclamation
In December 2023, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (“AEPA”) announced the Interim directive: pilot for site reductions on well sites (Land Policy, 2023, No.2), regarding a pilot program for certifying that an unused portion of a well site meets government reclamation standards.
Currently, licensees may only apply to the AER for a reclamation certificate once the well is listed as abandoned and the entire site is remediated and reclaimed to equivalent land use capability.
This pilot allows licensees to apply for a reclamation certificate for the unused portion of a well site that meets equivalent land use capability even though the well and portion of the well site are still active. The active portion of the well site will require a reclamation certificate at the end of its life.
As noted in the interim directive, licensees must obtain signed consent from landowners agreeing to participate in the pilot. Licensees must demonstrate that they have consulted with the landowners. Landowners must sign a landowner consent document indicating their agreement to participate in the pilot and that they understand the potential implications of participating. Landowner participation in the pilot is voluntary. The licensee must include the signed landowner consent document with the reclamation certificate application.
