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News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

ERCB APPROVES PETRO-CANADA UPGRADER PROJECT WITH CONDITIONS
Company must meet 13 ERCB-imposed conditions
 
Calgary, Alberta (Tuesday, January 20, 2009) The Energy Resources Conservation Board has issued Decision 2009-02, on an application by Petro-Canada Oil Sands Inc. to construct and operate an oil sands upgrader in the Alberta Industrial Heartland area of Sturgeon County.

The decision notes that there is a need for the federal, provincial, regional, and municipal levels of government to assess and provide for appropriate levels of infrastructure and services driven by the project and other possible future projects, including medical and social services, policing, traffic control, and environmental protection.

Additionally, the ERCB has made five recommendations to Alberta Environment related to air quality and air monitoring that fall within that government agency’s jurisdiction.

The ERCB also expects Petro-Canada Oil Sands Inc. to fulfill all 284 commitments made in its application and during a public hearing held in Fort Saskatchewan to consider the application and the interventions to it.

The conditions include and compel the company to:

• Conduct a full-scale emergency response exercise prior to upgrader start-up.

• Submit a report prior to start-up on how local emergency notification systems have been revised to address resident concerns.

• Submit an odour complaint protocol prior to project start-up.

• Achieve a 99.5 per cent sulphur recovery rate within 6 months of start-up. 

• Conduct a revised noise impact assessment six months prior to start-up.

• Submit a noise survey three months after start-up to the ERCB and three residents.

• Satisfy the ERCB by December 31, 2010 that the project will proceed. 

In relation to the on-site work camps, the ERCB acknowledges that the construction workers using them will have an impact on community services.  However, the ERCB finds that those impacts can be better managed and mitigated if workers are housed in work camps. 

Prior to the ERCB issuing a license, the decision must be approved by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

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This news release and Decision 2009-02 are available on the ERCB website at www.ercb.ca.

For more information, please contact:
Darin Barter, ERCB Communications
Email: darin.barter@ercb.ca
Mobile: 403-681-0946