Reclamation Certificate Application Submissions

Before applying for a reclamation certificate to close their oil and gas sites, companies must submit a series of environmental site assessments and if necessary, remediation reports through OneStop.

For details, please refer to Specified Enactment Direction 002: Direction for Reclamation Application Submissions for Well Sites and Associated Facilities.

Environmental Site Assessment and Remediation Report Submissions

Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment 

The Phase 1 environmental site assessment determines whether there is potential contamination on and off lease. The assessment includes a site description, a records review, a site visit, a drilling waste disposal assessment (see below), discussions with former landowners and site operators, and a report.

This assessment can be submitted through OneStop, which will link this assessment with the company’s future reclamation certificate application.

Drilling Waste Disposal Assessment

As part of the phase 1 environmental site assessment, companies must complete a drilling waste disposal assessment using the following documents:

Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment 

If the phase 1 environmental site assessment indicates that contamination is likely, companies must complete a Phase 2 environmental site assessment. This assessment is designed to gather information about the nature, depth, and extent of any contamination. It is also used to assess risk and options for remediation. To complete this assessment, a company must have

  • knowledge of its oil and gas operations,
  • an understanding of what contaminants may be present, and
  • experience in assessing soil and groundwater contamination.

Data collected on contaminant levels must be compared with the appropriate remediation guidelines. If contaminant levels exceed these guidelines, a company will have to remediate the site, explore options to manage the risk of contamination, or further characterize the site and risk of contamination.

Phase 2 ESAs and associated Records of Site Condition must be submitted with the reclamation certificate application through OneStop.

Remediation and Confirmatory Sampling (Remediation Report)

Where the Phase 2 ESA report identifies contamination that requires remediation, in order to be eligible for a reclamation certificate, companies must submit a remediation report and associated Records of Site Condition to us through OneStop that verify the company has achieved its remediation objectives. The conclusion in this report must be supported by laboratory analytical data for soil and (if necessary) groundwater samples. Below are some resources:

Professional Sign-Off

To quality for a reclamation certificate, energy companies must receive professional sign off for all oil and gas reclamation work. This verification ensures that companies meet our reclamation standards. It also helps ensure that companies are not providing misleading or false information on their applications.

Review Process

All reclamation certificate applications are assessed through OneStop using our reclamation certification assessment rules. Only sites that meet our reclamation standards and requirements will be issued a reclamation certificate. Please see our Reclamation Certificate Application Tool User Guide for more information.

See our Reclamation Process and Criteria for Oil and Gas Sites page for more information about our review and approval process.

Applying With Overlapping Exemptions

When another activity overlaps a portion of an energy site, the site may be considered for an overlapping exemption. Overlapping exemptions may be used in situations when there are two or more specified-land activities on an area of land.
We may consider granting an overlapping exemption when

  • two operators share a portion of an access road;
  • a pit or a mine goes through a well site;
  • a re-entry well has a slightly different lease area; or
  • well site leases overlap.

What to Submit

Applications for overlapping exemption must include an Application for Exemption from Requirement to Obtain a Reclamation Certificate Due to Presence of an Overlapping Activity form. For a list of application requirements, see this Alberta Environment and Parks document: Guide to Certification for Site Reductions, Additions, Overlaps, Multi-Well Facilities, and Forced Lease Boundary Changes.

  • Private land – Companies must submit applications for overlapping exemption by email to RecRemQuestions@aer.ca. Please include “overlapping exemptions” in the subject line.
  • Public land – Companies must submit applications for overlapping exemption through the Electronic Disposition System (account login and password required).