Notice of Application
OSCA Application No. 1909112
EPEA Application No. 012-00149968
Water Act Applications No. 025-00201931 and 001-00413940
PLA Application No. MSL033406
Canadian Natural Resources Limited
Horizon North Pit Extension
The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has received Oil Sands Conservation Act (OSCA) application 1909112, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) application 012-00149968, Water Act applications 025-00201931 and 001-00413940, and Public Lands Act (PLA) application MSL033406 from Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) for approval of the Horizon North Pit Extension (NPE) Project. The AER is reviewing the applications together with the associated environmental impact assessment (EIA) report.
This notice also sets out the deadline for filing statements of concern on these applications. For filing dates, see the section below on how to file a statement of concern.
Description of the Applications
CNRL has applied under the OSCA, EPEA, Water Act, and PLA to construct, operate, and reclaim the proposed NPE Project.
The proposed NPE Project is an extension of the existing North Mine Pit at the Horizon Oil Sands Processing Plant and Mine (Horizon) and is being developed to sustain approved production rates for Horizon.
Horizon is in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, 70 kilometres (km) north of Fort McMurray and about 20.5 km north of Fort McKay. The NPE Project will be immediately beside and east of the existing North Mine Pit and west of the Athabasca River. Development will occur in parts of Townships 96 and 97, Ranges 11 and 12, West of the 4th Meridian.
The NPE Project will be developed for about nine years. It includes the mine extension (1015 hectares) and the additional area required for overburden/interburden storage (2396 hectares), which together increase the disturbance area by about 18 per cent. The NPE Project will include the construction of works to manage surface runoff water and groundwater in the project area. As much as 4 275 000 cubic metres of surface runoff per year and as much as 1 380 000 cubic metres of groundwater per year will be collected in the project area and used as makeup water for the Horizon mine.
Pending regulatory approval, site preparation is anticipated to begin in Q4 2020.
CNRL has also submitted an EIA report, which is part of the applications to the AER.
For a copy of the applications, contact
Canadian Natural Resources Limited
Suite 2100, 855 – 2nd Street SW
Calgary, AB T2P 4J8
Attention: Anita Sartori, manager, Projects & Approvals
Telephone: 403 517-7188
Email: Anita.Sartori@cnrl.com
To receive a copy of the applications, EIA report, and supporting documents, submit an information request, as outlined at www1.aer.ca/ProductCatalogue/ordering.html, to
AER Order Fulfillment
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Telephone: 1-855-297-8311
(toll free; option 0)
Email: InformationRequest@aer.ca
Refer to this notice when requesting information for a faster response. Copies of the applications will also be available at
Alberta Government Library 44 Capital Boulevard 11th Floor, 10044 – 108 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6 Telephone: 780-427-2985 (toll free: 780-310-0000)
Requirement to File a Statement of Concern
If you have concerns with these applications, you must file a statement of concern as described below. If you do not file a statement of concern, the AER may approve the applications without further notification.
How to File a Statement of Concern
For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must be filed before 4:00 p.m. on July 3, 2018. Send one copy of your statement of concern to CNRL at the name and address above and one copy to
Authorizations Branch
Alberta Energy Regulator
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Fax: 403-297-7336
Email: SOC@aer.ca
Contents of a Statement of Concern
For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must include
- why you believe that you may be directly and adversely affected by a decision of the AER on the applications;
- the nature of your objection to the applications;
- the outcome of the applications that you advocate;
- the location of your land, residence, or activity in relation to the location of the energy resource activity that is the subject of the applications; and
- your contact information, including your name, address in Alberta, telephone number, and email address or, if you do not have an email address, your fax number.
The AER also requests that you include the application number in your statement of concern.
ConfidentialitySection 49 of the Alberta Energy Regulator Rules of Practice (Rules of Practice) requires that all documents and information filed in a proceeding be placed on the public record. If you file a submission, you must not include any personal information that you do not want to appear on or are not authorized to put on the public record. Section 49(2) of the Rules of Practice states how to apply to the AER for an order to keep information confidential. The Rules of Practice is available on the AER website at www.aer.ca.
Jurisdiction
Submissions relating exclusively to compensation for land use are not dealt with by the AER and should be referred to the Alberta Surface Rights Board.
Under section 21 of the Responsible Energy Development Act, the AER does not have the jurisdiction to assess the adequacy of Crown consultation associated with the rights of aboriginal peoples as recognized and affirmed under the Constitution Act, 1982.
For information on AER procedures contact the authorizations specialist, Camille Almeida, by phone at 780-642-9113 or by email to Camille.Almeida@aer.ca.
Issued at Calgary, Alberta, on May 14, 2018.
ALBERTA ENERGY REGULATOR
Patricia M. Johnston, Q.C., General Counsel
