Draft Directive on Regulatory Application Process for Modifications to Commercial In Situ Oil Sands Projects

Bulletin 2010-24

July 14, 2010

Invitation for Feedback—Draft Directive on Regulatory Application Process for Modifications to Commercial In Situ Oil Sands Projects

The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) is requesting feedback on the draft directive Regulatory Application Process for Modifications to Commercial In Situ Oil Sands Projects. The ERCB continually strives to make its regulatory process for modifications to in situ oil sands projects as effective and efficient as practical. In order to accomplish this, the ERCB is proposing to use one of three regulatory approaches depending on the nature and complexity of the applied-for modifications:

• Category 1 amendments will deal with relatively simple modifications, will not require notification of other stakeholders, and will usually be processed within one month under normal circumstances.
• Category 2 amendments will deal with modifications that could affect resource conservation and/or could involve significant process modifications, but they would not be expected to adversely and materially alter the environmental and socioeconomic impacts predicted and assessed in the original and/or amended project applications, nor would they be expected to adversely affect other mineral owners. They will not require notification of other stakeholders, and the processing time will depend on the nature and complexity of the proposed modifications.
• Category 3 amendments will deal with modifications that could result in an adverse and material change to the environmental and socioeconomic impacts predicted and assessed in the original and/or amended project applications and/or could adversely impact other mineral owners. Notification of potentially affected stakeholders will be required, and the processing time will depend on the nature and complexity of the proposed modifications and on whether any objections are received.

The draft directive also describes certain aspects of some of the other ERCB regulatory processes that are associated with commercial in situ oil sands projects, and proposes that stakeholder notification that has been completed as part of an application for a new or amended in situ oil sands project will satisfy the participant involvement requirements for any related licenses for well and pipelines that are within the ERCB approved project area, as is currently the case for facilities.

Request for Feedback

The ERCB invites your feedback on this draft directive by August 25, 2010. All comments received by that date will be considered in finalizing the directive. 

The draft directive is available on the ERCB web site www.ercb.ca under Industry Zone : Rules, Regulations, Requirements : Directives. Comments can be sent, preferably by e-mail, to modificationsinsitu@ercb.ca or by letter to the attention of Gary Dilay, Oil Sands Branch, at the ERCB’s Calgary address 640 - 5 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 3G4.

T. Abel, P.Eng.
Executive Manager
Oil Sands Branch

Draft Directive InSituProjects