Indigenous communities, local governments and landowners can now identify specific orphan and inactive well sites for priority reclamation as part of the Province’s efforts to clean up wells in B.C. and create jobs for workers in oil and gas service companies.
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“We are making sure local communities’ voices are heard and they have a hand in the process,†said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “By prioritizing the reclamation of orphan and inactive wells chosen by the public, we’re making use of local knowledge as we clean up the environment and create jobs for B.C. workers.â€
Specific dormant and orphan sites can be nominated by the public until Sept. 30, 2020, through an online process supported by the BC Oil and Gas Commission.
In April 2020, the Government of Canada announced $120 million in funding for B.C. to support the restoration of oil and gas sites, as part of its coronavirus industry support. To ensure this funding supports B.C. workers and companies, the Province developed three new programs:
- $100 million for the Dormant Sites Reclamation Program: this program will reclaim dormant oil and gas sites, which are wells that have been inactive for five consecutive years and are unlikely to return to service.
- $15 million for the Orphan Sites Supplemental Reclamation Program: this program will reclaim orphan oil and gas sites where the operator is insolvent, no longer exists or cannot be located.
- $5 million for the Legacy Sites Reclamation Program: this program will address the legacy impacts of historical oil and gas activities that continue to have environmental impacts, such as on wildlife habitat or on the traditional use by Indigenous peoples.
Wells nominated for cleanup will receive priority consideration under the second increment of $50 million that is available through the Dormant Sites Reclamation Program and as part of the $15-million Orphan Sites Supplemental Reclamation Program.
These programs are open to oil and gas field service companies and contractors based in B.C., with registration, office and operations in B.C. ■