News & Events
News Flash
Training Course Registration Open
Visser Consulting and Progress Seminars Present:
Regulatory Requirements for Upstream Oil & Gas Pipeline Operators: A review of the Alberta and BC Pipeline Act, Directives and current edition of CSA Z662.
This one day course will focus on the the regulatory requirements that upstream oil and gas companies must adhere to if they are registered owners or licensed to operate pipelines in either Alberta or British Columbia.
For more information or to register for this course, click here.
The ERCB has released the 2010 Annual Waste Disposition Request letters.
If your company is selected to submit the annual report via DDS please forward the letter to Visser, if you are a current waste tracking client, or contact Visser as soon as possible to ensure the deadline of April 5th can be met.
Click below to see an example of the Annual Waste Disposition Request letter.
Bulletin 2011-04
February 23, 2011
Directive 057: Fencing and Site Access Requirements for Oil and Gas Facilities Rescinded
This bulletin announces the rescission of Directive 057: Fencing and Site Access Requirements for Oil and Gas Facilities.
As part of the Energy Resources Conservation Board’s (ERCB) effort to better serve its stakeholders by consolidating its regulatory requirements, a review of Directive 057 was undertaken. This review identified that the current fencing requirements contained in the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations provide an adequate level of protection and security respecting upstream oil and gas facilities.
Questions regarding this bulletin should be forwarded to the ERCB’s Customer Contact Centre at 403-297-8311.
<original signed by>
Executive Manager
Field Surveillance and Operations Branch
New NEB Guidance for Safe Pipeline Crossings Using Agricultural Vehicles and Mobile Equipment
The National Energy Board (NEB) today followed through on its commitment to develop new guidance promoting safe pipeline crossings related to agricultural activities.
The "Guidance for Safe Crossings of NEB-Regulated Pipelines Using Agricultural Vehicles and Mobile Equipment" was developed in collaboration with the Pipeline Crossings Working Group, which included landowners, industry and Aboriginal representatives, industry and landowner organizations, and the NEB.
The Guidance is designed to support the safety and security of NEB-regulated pipelines and the people who live and work near them.
It provides greater clarity for landowners, land users, and pipeline companies to identify situations where farming vehicles and mobile equipment can cross NEB-regulated pipelines without the need for further permission from the pipeline company.
Effective immediately, as long as all of the following conditions are met, and the pipeline company has confirmed that the safe and secure operation of the pipeline will not be threatened, landowners and land users no longer need to obtain the company's permission each time they intend to cross the pipeline right-of-way with their agricultural machinery or mobile equipment, provided:
- the agricultural vehicle or mobile equipment is being used to perform an agricultural activity across the pipeline, and no more than 30 centimetres (12 inches) of soil is disturbed;
- the vehicle or mobile equipment is not removing or adding soil cover while in operating mode;
- the soil conditions ensure minimal rutting when agricultural vehicles or mobile equipment are driven over the pipeline; and
- the loaded axle weight and tire pressures are within the manufacturer's approved limits and operating guidelines - exceptions include large harvesters and grain transporters (for instance, Super B-trains).
In the case of uncertainty as to whether an agricultural activity meets the conditions for a safe crossing, landowners and land users are encouraged to contact their local one-call office or the pipeline company.
In support of the Guidance, the NEB has issued Exemption Order MO-21-2010. This order relieves landowners and land users from having to obtain permission from the pipeline company if all of the conditions noted above are met.
The NEB is an independent federal agency that regulates several parts of Canada's energy industry. Its purpose is to regulate pipelines, energy development and trade in the Canadian public interest.
For further information:
Carole Léger-Kubeczek
Communications Officer
National Energy Board
E-mail: carole.leger-kubeczek@neb-one.gc.ca
Telephone: 403-299-2717
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Telecopier: 403-292-5503
Telecopier (toll free): 1-877-288-8803
TTY (Teletype): 1-800-632-1663
Alberta pursues workplace safety fines
November 9, 2010
Click here to read this article.
Addition of New Oilfield Waste Codes
November 8, 2010
Effective as of the October 2010 production month, the ERCB is implementing the following additional oilfield waste codes to better define specific oilfield wastes generated:
- HYDVCH – Hydrovac Material (chemical/solvent impacted)
- HYDVCO – Hydrovac Material (crude oil/condensate impacted)
- HYDVHM – Hydrovac Material (mercury/heavy metal impacted)
- HYDVPT – Hydrovac Material (pesticide/herbicide impacted)
- HYDVPW – Hydrovac Material (produced/salt water impacted)
- HYDVRO – Hydrovac Material (refined fuels/oils impacted)
- HYDVSU – Hydrovac Material (sulphur impacted)
These additional oilfield waste codes will be added to Appendix 3: ERCB Waste Codes and Names when Directive 047: Waste Reporting Requirements for Oilfield Waste Management Facilities is updated and Table 7.4: Waste Management Table when the consolidation of Directive 058: Oilfield Waste Management Requirements for the Upstream Petroleum Industry is released.
For questions related to Directive 047, please contact ERCBD47Requirements@ercb.ca.
Visser will be at the Global Petroleum Show (GPS) 2010!
April 28, 2010
Come see us at booth #4348 on the upper level of the Big Four building from June 8-10. Due to the high volume of regulatory interest last year, Visser has opted for a double booth to accommodate every visitor with questions. Learn how Visser's extensive suite of services can help you achieve LifeCycle Compliance.
BC Oil and Gas Commission Changes to Well Suspension Requirements
April 22, 2010
Visser would like to remind you of two new regulatory deadline dates relative to compliant suspension of inactive wells, based on new requirements. If you have inactive wells, the first deadline date for high-risk wells has just passed, so this update is timely to ensure your compliance. The second similar compliance date is for medium and low- risk inactive wells, but does not come into effect until March 31, 2011.
Click here to view the informational letter.
ERCB Annual Waste Disposition Audits Occurring in February, 2010 (D-58)
March 3, 2010
Each year the ERCB randomly selects approximately 120-150 producers in Alberta for their Waste Disposition Reports. This annual audit is based on Directive 58 (oilfield waste). All Dangerous Oilfield Waste (DOW) and non-Dangerous Oilfield Waste streams from facilities, wells and pipelines must be accounted for and line items submitted for each waste manifest generated during the previous calendar year. SEPAC Associate Member, Visser Consulting Ltd., specializes in oil & gas regulations and compliance, including waste submissions, click here to view a printable PDF of our waste tracking services.
New ERCB Directive 076: Operator Declaration Regarding Measurement and Reporting Requirements
December 16, 2009
The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) announces the release of Directive 076: Operator Declaration Regarding Measurement and Reporting Requirements, with an effective date of January 4, 2010.
This directive sets out the new requirements of the Enhanced Production Audit Program (EPAP), whereby operators are to declare the degree to which they have infrastructure in place to ensure compliance with ERCB measurement and reporting requirements. It does not include requirements on how the volumes are to be measured or reported to the ERCB; these requirements are described in other directives, principally Directive 007: Volumetric and Infrastructure Requirements and Directive 017: Measurement Requirements for Upstream Oil and Gas Operations.
Directive 076 applies to all operators subject to ERCB measurement and reporting requirements and reporting to the Petroleum Registry of Alberta. It pertains to conventional oil, heavy oil, crude bitumen, and natural gas facilities. It does not apply to mineable oil sands.
This directive and EPAP were developed and refined with extensive input from operators, with over 100 suggestions coming from a stakeholder committee and the public consultation process.
The ERCB will allow a one-year phase-in period (2010), during which the new requirements will not be enforced. This period will allow operators and ERCB staff to prepare for the first declaration period associated with the new requirements. The ERCB expects operators to take the necessary steps to comply with the new requirements during this time. The ERCB will continue to enforce all other ERCB measurement and reporting requirements during the phase-in period.
Directive 076 is available on the ERCB Web site www.ercb.ca under Industry Zone : Rules, Regulations, and Requirements : Directives. It is also available in print from ERCB Information Services, 640 – 5 Avenue SW, main floor;
telephone: 403-297-8311; fax: 403-297-7040; e-mail: infoservices@ercb.ca.
Any inquires regarding this bulletin or Directive 076 should be directed to Colby Ruff, Production Operations Section Leader, Field Surveillance and Operations Branch, by telephone at 403-297-4544 or by e-mail at Colby.Ruff@ercb.ca.
ERCB ANNOUNCES CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO COURT OF APPEAL RULING
November 13, 2009
Board fixes error and implements changes; lifts suspension on sour oil and gas licensing
Calgary, Alberta (November 13, 2009)
The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) has announced that it has corrected its own error regarding emergency response modelling parameters, following its review of a recent Alberta Court of Appeal ruling. As a result of this correction, the ERCB is immediately lifting the temporary suspension on issuing licences for sour oil and gas wells, pipelines, and facilities that it announced on November 3, 2009.
On October 28, 2009, in its decision in the matter of Kelly et al v. ERCB and Grizzly Resources Ltd., the Court determined that residents within a Protective Action Zone (PAZ) could be directly and adversely affected by applications to which a PAZ relates. The Court also stated that applicants must include these residents in their participant involvement programs.
“The ERCB thanks the Court for its direction on this matter, and apologizes for any confusion or concern our error may have caused,” said ERCB Chairman Dan McFadyen. “We also want to assure all parties that despite this error – and its subsequent correction – public safety has been in no way lessened or compromised at any time. The ERCB still has the most stringent sour oil and gas regulations in the world.”
To correct the error, the ERCB changed the endpoints used to calculate PAZs. Previously, PAZs were erroneously calculated to be larger than Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs). The ERCB model used to calculate EPZs is the most scientifically advanced emergency planning model available. It was never intended, nor was it necessary, for any PAZ to exceed the size of a corresponding EPZ.
The ERCB will issue errata to Directive 071: Emergency Preparedness and Response Requirements for the Petroleum Industry and Directive 056: Energy Development Applications and Schedules to reflect this correction. The ERCB has also released Bulletin 2009-41, which outlines revisions to its requirements and process regarding applications for sour oil and gas development.
This news release, backgrounder, Bulletin 2009-41, Directive 056, and Directive 071 are online at www.ercb.ca.
For more information, please contact: Bob Curran ERCB Communications Ph: 403-297-3392 Email: bob.curran@ercb.ca
New Directive 075: Oilfield Waste Liability (OWL) Program Issued
September 15,2009
The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) announces the release of Directive 075: Oilfield Waste Liability (OWL) Program, which is effective September 15, 2009. The ERCB also announces the release of revised editions of Directive 006: Licensee Liability Rating (LLR) Program and Licence Transfer Process and Directive 024: Large Facility Liability Management Program, as well as changes to Part 16.6 of the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations resulting from the implementation of the OWL Program. Directive 075 replaces the oilfield waste security deposit provisions of Part 16.6 of the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations for all ERCB-approved oilfield waste management (WM) facilities except landfills. Directive 075 and changes to Directive 006 and Directive 024 provide information on the ERCB’s Liability Management Rating (LMR) assessment process, which evaluates a licensee’s liability risk based on a single combined assessment of its wells, facilities, and pipelines in the LLR, Large Facility Liability Management Program (LFP), and OWL programs. Like the LLR and LFP, the OWL Program is a risk-based industry backstopped program that will assess a WM approval holder’s liability risk monthly and on receipt of an application to transfer a WM facility. A security deposit is required whenever a WM approval holder’s deemed liabilities in the OWL, LLR, and LFP exceed its deemed assets in these three programs plus any previously provided liability management security deposit. As well, regardless of its LMR rating, a nonproducer or eligible producer licensee holding a WM approval is required to provide a facility-specific security deposit for any difference between a facility’s deemed liability and its deemed asset,. The changes to the LLR and LFP programs resulting from the implementation of the OWL Program are described below. Changes to Directive 006: Licensee Liability Rating (LLR) Program and Licence Transfer Process
- Clarification of the ERCB’s combined LMR assessment, which now includes assets and liabilities included in the OWL Program
- Change in structure to parallel that in Directives 075 and Directive 024
- Removal of Appendix 7: Security Deposits, as the treatment of non-program-specific security deposits is addressed in Directive 068: Security Deposits
- Removal of Appendix 9: LLR Program Performance Measures, as these were interim in nature and most are now reported monthly on the ERCB Web site www.ercb.ca in conjunction with the monthly LMR Run Summary
- Removal of Appendix 10: Enforcement, as applicable provisions are now addressed in Directive 019: ERCB Compliance Assurance—Enforcement
- Replacement of Appendix 13: Nonproducer Licensee Netback Calculation Form and Appendix 14: Producer Licensee Netback Calculation Form with a single renumbered Appendix 10: Licensee Netback Form, as the calculation and requirements are the same for both licensee types
- Removal of the transitional requirements for submission of cost estimates based on site-specific liability assessments for gas plants, as all time requirements have passed
- Minor wording changes to ensure consistency with Directive 075 and Directive 024 Changes to Directive 024: Large Facility Liability Management Program
- Clarification of the ERCB’s combined LMR assessment, which now includes assets and liabilities included in the OWL Program
- Update of Appendix 3: Liability Management Rating Formula to reflect the ERCB’s expanded liability assessment
- Minor wording changes to ensure consistency with Directive 075 and Directive 006
Any inquires regarding these directives should be directed to David Hardie at 403-297–3697 or Howard Fedorak at (OGC IL 09-23) Updated Wells Application Manual and Form Release Effective Date: October 4, 2009 Background: The BC Oil and Gas Commission (Commission) has released an updated Well Application Manual (Manual) and related Well Application Form and Application to Amend Form (Forms). Originally released in 2007, the Manual and associated Forms have been revised and updated extensively.
The Manual provides guidance on wells and test holes pertaining to: The Manual outlines regulations governing well site planning and outlines procedures to obtain authorizations for surface access and construction on Crown and private land. It does not cover construction, drilling, testing and production operations for well programs in British Columbia. These topics will be covered in a Wells Production Manual at a later date.
The Manual follows and illustrates information requirements outlined in the Forms and assists in completion of application forms and reporting requirements. The Manual covers well authorization amendments for both surface and sub-surface changes and associated requirements and completion of the required forms. Requirement: The revised Manual and Forms are now available via the Commission website. There will be a four week transition period during which the previous submission form will be accepted. Full implementation of both the manual and new forms will be effective October 4, 2009. The updated Manual and Forms are located on the Commission website respectively at:
www.ogc.gov.bc.ca/wellsguidelines.html and
www.ogc.gov.bc.ca/wellforms.html The Commission is committed to continual improvement and collects information on the quality and effectiveness of content provided in guidelines and manuals. Clients and stakeholders can send constructive comments to:
OGC.Documentation@gov.bc.ca This Manual and other Commission manuals are updated and revised as necessary. If a revision results in no change to procedures/requirements, an Information Bulletin will be released to inform clients of the revision. If a revision results in a change to procedures/requirements, an Information Letter will be released as per Commission protocol.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact: Roger St. Jean
403-297–8167.
Executive Manager
Field Surveillance and Operations Branch
September 4,2009
To: Industry Clients
Area Director
Project Assessment and Compliance Assurance Division
BC Oil and Gas Commission
Roger.StJean@gov.bc.ca
(250) 787.3234
Original signed by:
Alex Ferguson
Commissioner
BC Oil and Gas Commission