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 a project update for Oil Sands Conservation Act (OSCA) application 1909112, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) application 012-00149968, Water Act (WA) 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. This project update also includes a Wetland Assessment and Impact Report. The AER is reviewing these applications.
This notice also sets out the deadline for filing statements of concern on all of the applications. See the section below on how to file a statement of concern for filing dates.
Description of the Applications
CNRL applied under OSCA, EPEA, WA and PLA to construct, operate and reclaim the proposed NPE Project.
The proposed NPE Project is an extension of the existing North Mine Pit within the Horizon Oil Sands Processing Plant and Mine (Horizon) and is being developed to sustain approved production rates for Horizon.
Horizon is located in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, 70 kilometres north of Fort McMurray and approximately 20.5 kilometres north of Fort McKay. The NPE Project will be immediately adjacent and east of the existing North Mine Pit and west of the Athabasca River. Development will occur in portions of Townships 096 and 097, Ranges 11 and 12, West of the 4th Meridian.
The NPE Project will be actively developed for approximately nine years and encompasses the mine extension (1,015 ha) and the additional area required for overburden/interburden storage (2,396 ha), representing an increase in disturbance area of approximately 18 percent. The NPE Project will include the construction of works for management of surface runoff water and groundwater within the project area. Additionally, up to 4,275,000 cubic metres (m3) of surface runoff per year and up to 1,380,000 m3 of groundwater per year will be collected within the project area and used as makeup water for the Horizon mine.
Pending regulatory approval, site preparation activities are anticipated to begin in the first quarter 2031.
As part of these applications, CNRL also submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. On April 7, 2020, the AER determined that this EIA report was complete.
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 Information Distribution Services
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:
AER Fort McMurray Regional Office
2nd Floor, Provincial Building
Box 15, 9915 Franklin Avenue
Fort McMurray, Alberta T9H 2K4
Telephone: 780-743-7214
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 March 4, 2022. Send one copy of your statement of concern to CNRL at the name and address above and one copy either online via the AER’s web-based form or by mail or email:
Online: https://www.aer.ca/protecting-what-matters/giving-albertans-a-voice/statement-of-concern/statement-of-concern-form
Mail or email:
Regulatory Applications
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.
Confidentiality
Section 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 Land and Property Rights Tribunal (formerly the 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 regulatory applications specialist, Camille Almeida, by phone at 780-642-9113 or by email to Camille.Almeida@aer.ca.
Issued at Calgary, Alberta, on February 3, 2022.
ALBERTA ENERGY REGULATOR
Charlene Graham, General Counsel
