These articles by our expert team cover the details of various decisions made by the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), Alberta Utilities Commision (AUC), and Canada Energy Regulator (CER). Browse our searchable archive below to learn more about the results we’ve achieved for our clients.
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Pipelines The AER temporarily paused new pipeline application submissions through OneStop from November 6, 2023, to November 16, 2023, in response to the new Pipeline Rules release scheduled for November 15, 2023. The...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas – Facilities The AER is implementing a reclamation liability reduction program (the “Program”), with an anticipated release in the spring of 2024. The Program is intended to allow licensees to request a temporary reduction of...
Link to Decision Summarized Minerals – Development The AER sought feedback on its proposed new Draft Directive: Rock-Hosted Mineral Resource Development (“Draft Directive”). The Draft Directive sets out the industry's requirements for rock-hosted mineral resource...
Link to Decision Summarized Market - Enforcement Application Enforcement staff of the AUC (“Enforcement Staff”) applied to the AUC for approval of a settlement agreement between Enforcement Staff and Persist Oil & Gas Inc. (“Persist”) related to a contravention...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Supplemental Closure Spending Licensees must spend a minimum amount annually on abandoning, remediating and reclaiming their inactive oil and gas sites. In Bulletin 2023-31: Industry-Wide Closure Spend Requirement for 2024,...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities The AER announced that it would contact applicable licensees by email to validate the operational life-cycle status of their facilities, as an one-time supplemental data request. Additional information is required...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Environment On September 7, 2023, the AER reminded licensees of the beginning of the migratory bird season in Alberta and their responsibility to follow waterfowl protection plans to protect migratory bird populations....
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Well Abandonment On September 5, 2023, the Alberta Energy Regulator (“AER”) released a new edition of Directive 020: Well Abandonment (“Directive 020”), which sets out the requirements for routine abandonment of wells...
Link to Decision Summarized Reasonable Care and Measures Order - Appeal Application AlphaBow Energy Ltd. (“AlphaBow”) applied to the Alberta Court of Appeal (“ABCA”) for permission to appeal a suspension order issued by the Alberta Energy Regulator (“AER”) on June 5,...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities The AER implemented an inventory reduction program described in Directive 088: Licensee Life-Cycle Management under the Government of Alberta’s Liability Management Framework, which involves setting an industry-wide...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities Application MGM Energy Corp. (“MGM”) applied for an authorization to inspect ten wells and four associated drilling sumps (the “Application”) in the Mackenzie Delta, within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region,...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities The AER noted a 69% increase in the number of pipeline incidents related to contact damage during ground disturbance (26 incidents in 2020 to 44 incidents in 2022) over the past three years. The AER was particularly...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities Application By a letter decision issued on June 28, 2023, the CER approved Inuvialuit Energy Security Project Ltd. (“IESPL”) well workover application (the “WW Application”) for the Inuvialuit Energy Security...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil and Gas - Facilities Application By a letter decision issued on June 28, 2023, the CER approved an application from Inuvialuit Energy Security Project Ltd. (“IESPL”) for authorization for early site works (the “ESW Application”) for the...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil – Judicial Review/Appeal Appeal This was an appeal by the Alberta Minister of Energy (“Minister” or “Appellant”) from an Alberta Court of King’s Bench order on judicial review. The judicial review judge quashed the Minister’s screening...
Link to Decision Summarized Facilities - Industrial System Designation Application TransCanada Keystone Pipeline GP Ltd (“Keystone”) filed an application seeking a review and variance of the CER decision for Phase 1 of the RH-005-2020 (“Decision”) proceeding (the...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Minerals – Resource Development The AER updated its Digital Data Submission system to enable the collection, in the pressure ASCII standard (PAS) file, of the data required to be submitted by licensees pursuant to requirement 79 of...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Geothermal Resources On July 4, 2023, the Alberta Energy Regulator released a new edition of Directive 001: Requirements for Site-Specific Liability Assessment, which includes the following changes: Removal of irrelevant or...
Link to Decision Summarized Facilities - Industrial System Designation Application Tidewater Midstream and Infrastructure Ltd. (“Tidewater”) applied for approval to construct and operate the 16.5-megawatt (“MW”) natural gas-fired Brazeau Cogeneration Plant (the “Power...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil/Gas – Amendment Application Application On March 8, 2022, the CER approved the development plan for the proposed Inuvialuit Energy Security Project (the “IESP”). Subsequently, Inuvialuit Energy Security Project Ltd. (“IESPL”) provided,...
Link to Decision Summarized Oil - Unit to Produce Oil Application Xenotime Energy Inc. (“Xenotime”) applied for a compulsory pooling order prescribing that all tracts within the drilling spacing unit in the northwest quarter of Section 15, Township 50, Range 4, West...
Link to Bulletin Summarized 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....
Link to Decision Summarized Oil/Gas - Water – Permission to Appeal Application TransAlta Corporation (“TransAlta”) brought three applications for permission to appeal decisions of the Alberta Energy Regulator (“AER”). Decision The two applications for permission to...
Link to Decision Summarized Rates - Franchise Agreement Application ATCO Gas and Pipelines Ltd. (“ATCO Gas”) applied for approval of a natural gas franchise agreement (the “Agreement”), including a franchise fee of 13 percent, with the City of Cold Lake for 10 years...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Monitoring The AER reminded licensees that the risk of brush/grass fires increases significantly during wildfire season, which is from March 1 to October 31. The Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (“AAF”) has a tiered fire ban...
Link to Decision Summarized Revenue Requirements - Non-Energy Application Direct Energy Regulated Services (“DERS”) applied for approval of its default rate tariff (“DRT”) and regulated rate tariff (“RRT”) revenue requirements and non-energy charges for 2023. Decision...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Wells - Application As of May 1, 2023, under Ministerial Order 043/2023, the AER requires evidence that licensees have resolved unpaid property taxes exceeding a threshold amount before a new well or well licence transfer application will...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Monitoring Due to the release of the movie “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” on April 21, 2023, and its promotion of violent action against oil and gas infrastructure, the AER reminded operators that they are required to have...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Monitoring The AER reminded license holders of the beginning of migratory bird season in Alberta. Licensees must: (i) adhere to their plans to protect migratory bird populations; (ii) ensure that all liquid impoundments that...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Financial Submissions A new edition of Directive 067: Eligibility Requirements for Acquiring and Holding Energy Licences and Approvals has been published and is in force as of April 13, 2023. This new edition complements the...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Monitoring The AER cautioned against the hazards of seasonal snowmelt and resultant overland flooding. Specifically, licensees: (i) must physically inspect and assess any sites and equipment that have or may be affected by...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Facilities - Land Dispositions As of April 20, 2023, new cancellation and objection functionality is available in OneStop’s public lands module. If the AER initiates the process to cancel a public lands disposition, OneStop will notify the...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Oil and Gas - Rates With this bulletin, and in accordance with Part 11 of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act (“OGCA”), the AER prescribed an Orphan Fund Levy in the amount of $135 million. The Government of Alberta approved this levy to fund...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Revenue Requirement For 2023/24, the Government of Alberta approved a revenue requirement of $217.4 million to support the operations of the AER. 2023/24 Administration Fees (Industry Levy) The 2023/24 Administration Fees payable to the AER...
Link to Bulletin Summarized Facilities - Closures On April 3, 2023, the AER started accepting nominations for eligible individuals and groups to close inactive or abandoned oil and gas wells and facilities as a follow-up to its Bulletin 2023-4: New Editions of...