This bulletin announces the release of a new edition of Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) Manual 005: Pipeline Inspections.
Manual 005 is a reference document for AER staff conducting pipeline compliance activities. Industry may also use it as a reference for pipeline inspections and as a guide to inform their compliance management systems.
Within each section of the manual, we have identified noncompliance statements and relevant references to the Pipeline Act, Pipeline Rules, AER directives, and the latest Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards.
We have updated Manual 005 as follows:
- Noncompliance statements have been added to reflect updates to Directive 055: Storage Requirements for the Upstream Petroleum Industry and Directive 058: Oilfield Waste Management Requirements for the Upstream Petroleum Industry.
- The low- and high-risk ratings have been removed to align with our Integrated Compliance Assurance Framework and Manual 013: Compliance and Enforcement Program.
Manual 005 is not an exhaustive inventory of all the pipeline noncompliance statements, nor is it intended as a comprehensive restatement of the regulatory requirements. Furthermore, it is not a replacement for any rules or regulations, nor does it absolve companies of their responsibility for understanding and complying with all relevant requirements.
Additionally, we evaluate industry’s performance against target outcomes and priorities established though government policy. Where needed, we will refine our requirements to mitigate risk and achieve the outcomes that Albertans expect—public safety, environmental protection, resource conservation, and economic benefits. Performance information is captured under the Industry Performance Program and for pipelines in the Pipeline Performance Report available our website.
If you have any questions about the revised manual, please contact our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 403-297-8311 (1-855-297-8311 toll free) or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.
Manual 005 is available on our website, www.aer.ca, under Rules and Directives > Manuals.
