Take Notice that the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) will hold a public hearing of these applications at the Elk Point Community Centre, 4906 51 Street, Elk Point, Alberta, commencing on Wednesday, November 13, at 9:00 a.m. All interveners to this proceeding must be present at the commencement of the hearing to register their appearance.

Nature of the Applications

Application No. 1248262 for a Primary Recovery Scheme

Petrovera Resources Limited (Petrovera) applied pursuant to section 10 of the Oil Sands Conservation Act for approval to construct and operate a primary scheme for the recovery of crude bitumen from the Mannville Group in the Cold Lake Oil Sands Area. The applicant proposes to reduce the drilling spacing units from 64 hectares to 8 hectares for Sections 19, 28, the South half of Section 31, and Section 32 of Township 57, Range 4, West of the 4th Meridian (57-4 W4M), and Sections 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 19, 24, and the South half and Northwest quarter of Section 30-57-5 W4M. The applicant proposes that wells drilled or to be drilled within the area of application have a minimum interwell distance of 100 metres and a project boundary buffer of 50 metres.

Application No. 1248262 consolidates and replaces Applications No. 1052693, 1052695, 1062337, 1062339, 1062340, 1062343, 1062344, 1243160, 1243354, and 1243745. Consideration of the proposed primary recovery scheme will be based solely on Application No. 1248262 without reference to any of the applications previously filed with the EUB.

Applications No. 1086164, 1087064, 1087238, 1241670, 1241671, 1241672, 1241673, 1241674, 1241675, 1241676, 1241677, 1241678, 1256328, 1256330, 1256334, and 1256335 for Well Licenses

Petrovera applied pursuant to section 2.020 of the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, for licences to drill thirteen vertical wells for crude bitumen production. Petrovera proposes to drill the wells from the following surface locations (Legal Subdivision-Township-Section-Range W4M):

Application No.      Well Location

1086164                  3-24-57-5 W4M          (licensed and drilled well)
1087064                  11-24-57-5 W4M        (licensed and drilled well) 

Application No.      Well Location

1087238                  2-24-57-5 W4M          (licensed and drilled well)
1241670                  14-28-57-4 W4M
1241671                  7-31-57-4 W4M
1241672                  8-30-57-5 W4M
1241673                  13-13-57-5 W4M
1241674                  11-30-57-5 W4M
1241675                  5-19-57-4 W4M
1241676                  9-19-57-5 W4M
1241677                  12-19-57-5 W4M
1241678                  8-32-57-4 W4M
1256328                  7-19-57-5 W4M
1256330                  2-3-57-5 W4M
1256334                  9-2-57-5 W4M
1256335                  5-10-57-5 W4M

Additional Information

To obtain additional information or a copy of the applications contact:

Petrovera Resources Limited
9th Floor, 125 9th Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta  T2G 0P6
Attention: J. Sheasby
Telephone:  (403) 260-6099
Facsimile:  (403) 260-6191 

Copies of these applications are available for public viewing at the following locations: 

EUB Information Services, Calgary Office
Main Floor, 640 5th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta  T2P 3G4 

EUB Bonnyville Field Centre
Northlands Development Building
4901 - 50th Avenue
Bonnyville, Alberta  T9N 2G4

Elk Point Library
5123 50th Avenue
Elk Point, Alberta  T0A 1A0

For information about EUB procedures contact:

Applications Branch, Resources Applications Group
Attention: Karine Fisher
Telephone:  (403) 297-8490
Facsimile: (403) 297-2474
E-mail:  karine.fisher@gov.ab.ca

To File a Submission

The Board has established the following filing deadlines for this hearing:

September 23, 2002: Final date for any further submissions by Petrovera

October 21, 2002:  Final date for submissions by any persons having concerns respecting the Petrovera applications

October 31, 2002:    Final date for any response from Petrovera to the submissions filed by concerned parties

Any person intending to make a submission with respect to the hearing of these applications should send a copy of the submission to the applicant at the name and address above, and a copy to:

K. Fisher, Application Coordinator
EUB, Applications Branch, Resources Applications Group
640 - 5th Avenue SW
Calgary Alberta  T2P 3G4

EUB staff note that several submissions have already been filed in regard to a number of the above applications. These will be kept on file and the same submission does not need to be re-filed. EUB staff are also aware that discussions have been ongoing between Petrovera and some individuals that have filed submissions. Where these discussions have resulted in concerns being fully resolved, the EUB requests that the party who initially filed the objection inform the EUB that he or she no longer has any objection to the proposed development.

Notes

The sections involved in the Petrovera primary recovery scheme application and the proposed Petrovera well locations are shown on the attached map. As additional background, the map also shows the sections and well locations in the same general area which are the subject of a number of applications by Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) for approval to also construct and operate a number of new and amended primary recovery schemes for the recovery of crude bitumen and to drill a number of wells. The details of the CNRL Applications No. 1086695, 1087189, 1087193, 1247164, 1247165, 1247166, 1247167, 1247168, 1247171, 1247172, 1247178, 1248249, 1248252, 1248255, 1249233, 1252711, 1252712, 1259621, and 1259622 are provided on a separate Notice of Hearing.

Any submission filed shall contain information detailing:

(i)                 the desired disposition of the application,

(ii)               the facts sustaining the position of the submitter,

(iii)              the reason why the submitter believes the EUB should decide in the manner advocated, and

(iv)             how the proposed project, if approved, may directly and adversely affect the submitter.

In accordance with Section 38 of the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board Rules of Practice, witnesses must give evidence under oath or affirmation.

Submissions relating exclusively to compensation for land usage are not dealt with by the EUB, but may be referred to the Alberta Surface Rights Board.           

Issued at Calgary, Alberta on August 15, 2002.

ALBERTA ENERGY AND UTILITIES BOARD
Michael J. Bruni, Q.C., General Counsel