Today we released a new edition of Directive 017: Measurement Requirements for Oil and Gas Operations. In section 12.3.9, the requirements for well testing in thermal in situ oil sands operations were modified. A program for testing each operating production well must be implemented and described in the project’s measurement, accounting, and reporting plan. The requirement to have one valid testing hour for every forty hours of operation was removed.
The measurement, accounting, and reporting plan is described and required by Directive 042: Measurement, Accounting, and Reporting Plan (MARP) Requirements for Thermal Bitumen Schemes.
- Existing MARPs should be updated immediately and must be available for review when requested by the AER.
- Applications for new MARPs must meet these new Directive 017 requirements.
This change aligns the well testing requirements for thermal in situ oil sand operators with operating conditions at project sites. This change enables the collection of more-representative well-level production data and provides operators additional flexibility in how they conduct their well testing programs, while maintaining compliance with the existing proration factors specified in section 12.3.10 of Directive 017.
Directive 017 is available on the AER website, www.aer.ca. Questions regarding this change should be sent to ThermalInSitu@aer.ca.
