Protecting the environment, including water, is part of the AER’s mandate. In Alberta, any energy or mineral resource development project that involves water is under our authority. Industry uses water in many activities. Some activities may affect water quality and quantity of surface water or groundwater in Alberta. We work to ensure that companies use and manage water safely and responsibly and protect water resources from being affected by their operations. We do this by:
- reviewing all energy and mineral resource development applications under the Water Act to ensure their operations comply with requirements;
- ensuring companies have our approval before they use water to develop resources; and
- conducting inspections, audits, and performance reviews to ensure our rules are followed.
Decisions involving water use and protection related to other purposes, including municipalities, agriculture, and forestry, are made by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas. Learn more about our Water Act responsibilities.
How Energy Companies Use Water
In Alberta, two types of water are commonly used by energy and mineral resource development companies: nonsaline (i.e., fresh water) and alternative. Companies must apply for our approval before using nonsaline water in their operations. They do not have to apply to use alternative water, but they must report how much they are using.
Of the water allocated to the energy industry, oil sands mining uses the most water, with the remainder used in enhanced oil recovery, hydraulic fracturing, in situ recovery operations, or for other uses. To learn more about how water is allocated and used, read our annual Alberta Water Use Performance Report.
How We Decide on Water Licences
A water licence is required to use nonsaline water. In deciding whether to issue a licence, we consider several factors and related data: how much water is available, how much is already allocated, water management frameworks under provincial land-use regional plans, and the effect of using the water, including effects on fish, wildlife, aquatic habitat, and water users. Our specialists—hydrologists, hydrogeologists, limnologists, and fish and wildlife biologists—review these applications.
Companies applying to use water must disclose details including:
- the water bodies they are taking water from,
- the amount of water they need and why,
- the rate at which they will take the water
- how long they need to use the water, and
- what exactly they need the water for.
We share all Water Act applications for 30 days on our Public Notice of Applications tool and encourage public participation in our review process.
Water Use Throughout the Project Life Cycle
Companies applying for a licence to use nonsaline water must state the maximum amount they will need for their project life cycle. Once a project becomes operational, water use often declines. This happens for several reasons. For example, the company might better understand the site’s geology, have secured alternative water sources, or be able to recycle water used in their operation.
Compliance and Enforcement
Our inspectors across Alberta regularly inspect energy and mineral resource facilities to ensure companies are not using more water than their licence allows. If a company is not meeting our requirements, we may use one of our many compliance and enforcement tools to bring them into compliance or assess penalties where appropriate.
Related Information
Our annual Water Use Performance Report discloses how much water energy companies in Alberta use (including water recycling) for various activities, including oil sands mining and in situ, hydraulic fracturing, and enhanced oil recovery. This report is part of our industry performance program, which measures, evaluates, and reports on the energy development activities we regulate.
We publish monthly and annual in situ water use information in our Thermal In Situ (TIS) Water Publication. This interactive dashboard allows users to filter and analyze information.
