On December 12, 2023, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas announced Interim directive: pilot for site reductions on well sites (Land Policy, 2023, No.2), concerning a pilot for certifying that an unused portion of a well site meets government reclamation standards.
Under the current Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) process, licensees may only apply for a reclamation certificate once the well is listed as abandoned and the entire site remediated (if required) and reclaimed to equivalent land use capability.
This pilot allows licensees to apply for a reclamation certificate on the unused portion of a well site that meets equivalent land use capability even though the well and portion of the well site are still active. The active portion of the well site will require a reclamation certificate at the end of its life.
The AER will accept 100 applications under this pilot. Applications for site reduction certificates must meet the requirements of the interim directive and the AER’s minimum setback distances and safety requirements.
As noted in the interim directive, licensees must obtain signed consent from landowners agreeing to participate in the pilot. Licensees must demonstrate that they have consulted with the landowners. Landowners must sign a landowner consent document indicating their agreement to participate in the pilot and that they understand the potential implications of participating. Landowner participation in the pilot is voluntary. The licensee must include the signed landowner consent document with the reclamation certificate application.
Licensees can submit applications for a site reduction reclamation certificate via OneStop as of March 21, 2024. Applications will be closed as of August 29, 2025, or once 100 applications have been received.
General questions about the pilot can be directed to RecRemQuestions@aer.ca or our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 1-855-297-8311 or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.
