Environmental Management in Alberta: Update on Water Priorities

Environmental Management in Alberta: Update on Water Priorities

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development

November 2012

OutlineWhat• Alberta Context

How• Evolution of Water Management • Water Focus Areas

When• Moving Forward

Provincial Context• Alberta is blessed with a range of natural resources• Economic diversification is important for long-term

sustainability… • …but natural resources will continue to play a foundation

role in current and future quality of life for the foreseeable future

• Experiences with resource management provides an expertise and skill set for emerging global challenges

• Shift in Alberta from abundance and room to grow, to a need for enhanced management

Confluence of Priorities

LicenseTo

Operate

Energy•Growing demand for oil and gas

•Desire for alternatives (clean gas?)

Environment•Lower footprint

•Increased transparency•Water

Economy•Resource economy

•Value add•Economic recovery

Social•Quality of life

•Population growth / interface with development

Management Approach: Guiding Principles

• Transparency– In management intent– In the type and confidence of the data that is collected

(and what is not collected)

• Credibility – In the systems (including people) used (independence

where necessary)– In the data collected and provided

• Relevance – In the systems used and data collected

Cumulative Effects(evolving realities)

Provide regional context for decisions about future activities and management of existing activities Shift from one-off authorizations with consideration for current circumstances to decisions based on regional ‘expectations’

Establishing limits and triggers

Monitoring and modeling to assess conditions

Response to triggers, including validation, investigation,

management actions and reporting

Policy Controls

Evolution of Environmental Management

Assessment /Evaluation /

Decommissioning / Reclamation

ApprovalMonitoring / Research

Air Water Land

Biodiversity

Abatement /Enforcement

Standards Objectives Guidelines

Criteria

Oil and Gas Regulatory Framework

Public Interface

Management Areas

Current Legislation, Directive or Guideline relating to Fracturing Regulatory Body

Site

Characterization

and Planning

Oil and Gas Conservation Act and Regulations Alberta Energy

Directive 056: Energy Development Applications ERCB

Directive 029: Energy and Utility Development Applications and the Hearing Process ERCB

Directive 031: Guidelines for the Energy Proceeding Cost Claims ERCB

Provincial Groundwater Inventory Program ESRD

Well

Construction Directive 008: Surface Casing Depth Requirements

ERCB

Directive 009: Casing Cementing Minimum Requirements ERCB

Operating

& Monitoring

Requirements

Directive 036: Drilling Blowout Prevention Requirements and Procedures ERCB

Directive 038: Noise Control ERCB

Directive 044: Requirements for the Surveillance of Water Production in Oil and Gas Wells ERCB

Directive 050: Drilling Waste Management ERCB

Directive 027: Shallow Fracturing Operations-Restricted Operations ERCB

Directive 035: Baseline Water Testing Requirements for Coalbed Methane Wells ERCB

Directive 051: Injection and Disposal Wells - Well Classifications, Completions, Logging, and Testing ERCB

Directive 059: Well Drilling & Completion Data Filing Requirements ERCB

Collection of fracture fluids (not currently disclosed) ERCB

Water Use,

Wastewater /

Waste Handling

Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act – water use, re-use and discharge (none) ESRD

Water Act – water use (and water impacts) ESRD

Directive 055: Storage Requirements for the Upstream Petroleum Industry ERCB

Directive 058: Oilfield Waste Management Requirements for the Upstream Petroleum Industry ERCB

Other Directive 020: Well Abandonment ERCB

Remediation Certificate Regulation ESRD

Alberta Tier I and Tier II Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines ESRD

Current Operating Requirements

Unconventional Oil and Gas• Dispersed on the landscape

– No set ‘region’

• Multiple players– Includes service elements

• Range of impacts on the land– Some focused and accumulated (air, noise,

footprint)– Others dispersed (source of water, waste

management, truck traffic)

• Impact themes: – Risks relating to water use– Risks relating to development disturbance (above and below ground)– Risks relating to intensity of activity Magnified by pace

• Emerging response themes: – Development

• Reduce: e.g. overall consumptions; surface to ground water; non-saline to saline• Re-Use: e.g. storage• Recycle: e.g. sharing• Industry commitments (CAPP Principles)

– Management • Cumulative effects-focused, play-based• Collaboration and engagement

– Knowledge• Transparency• Reporting

Response Considerations

Response Areas

• Government of Alberta – integrated management approach to addressing areas of enhancement– Range of potential actions identified based on risk areas and

nested in cumulative effects context– Initial areas of focus include:

• Unconventional Regulatory Framework (play-based management approach)

• Expanded Water Conservation for all Oil and Gas

• Expanded Baseline Water Well Testing

• Disclosure of fluids

• Reporting of water use (volume and source)

Oil Sands Information Portal

(re) Framing the Water Discussion

• Tremendous effort over the past few years on addressing specific water issues– Alberta Water Council, Ministerial Advisory Groups, Association

actions

• Recognition that many of these challenges require a broader discussion on water – the Alberta Water story– Not about stepping back from good ideas, but taking a higher

view of the issues facing Albertans

• Re-set on the context will be the initial focus for engagement

Water Conversation• Key Elements

– Broad conversation across the province • About confirming the agenda and priorities and to

establish a shared understanding of challenges and opportunities

• Also to confirm what is not on the table

– Foundation is Water for Life• About ensuring water for people, environment and

economy

– Precursor to advancing potential policy options to address priority issues

Potential Focus Areas• Areas that:

– Span the interests and needs of all Albertans– Require more immediate focus and action– Have already involved significant analysis and assessment– Require action in support of achieving economic, social and/or

environmental objectives

• Proposed areas:– Water Management– Hydraulic Fracturing– Healthy Lakes– Drinking Water / Wastewater Sustainability

Moving Forward• Government has outlined a clear intent to continue to develop

natural resources, but in a way that reflects responsible development– Approach based on cumulative effects management

• Management frameworks and regional governance will be critical to ensure systems are appropriate– Frameworks will build on past experience including respect of existing

rights – Work on water needs appropriate connection to regional planning

• New ways of ensuring meaningful engagement is required to provide assurance – early days, but must reflect key guiding principles – Audience has grown from directly effected / provincial to global– Critical role of existing groups and associations

Questions