News Release 2004-06-08 (NR2004-21)
EUB Backgrounder: Timeline of Bitumen Conservation Events

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• The EUB held an inquiry into the matter of gas production from oil sands strata (EUB Inquiry, Gas/Bitumen Production in Oil Sands Areas, completed March 25, 1998).
  
  
• The EUB received and considered recommendations from the gas/bitumen committee on related issues (Recommendations on Gas/Bitumen Issues, July 10, 1998).
  
  
• The EUB received and considered recommendations from the industry/EUB committee on gas production application areas (Report of the Industry/EUB Committee, Gas Production Applications in Oil Sands Areas, November 24, 1998).
  
  
• The EUB issued an interim directive respecting gas/bitumen production in oil sands areas (Interim Directive (ID) 99-1: Gas/Bitumen Production in Oil Sands Areas: Application, Notification and Drilling Requirements, February 1999).
  
  
• The EUB initiated a Government-Industry Advisory Group on Gas and Bitumen Conservation in Oil Sands Areas, which prepared draft recommendations on the subject (published on the EUB Web site, July 2001).
  
  
• The EUB issued EUB General Bulletin GB 2003-12: Gas Production in Oil Sands Areas (April 3, 2003).
  
  
• The EUB issued EUB General Bulletin GB 2003-16: Gas Production in Oil Sands Areas (June 3, 2003).
  
  
• The EUB held a consultation meeting with interested parties regarding the proposed Gas Production in Oil Sands Areas conservation policy (July 3-5, 2003).
  
  
• The EUB issued comprehensive Bitumen Conservation Requirements and EUB General Bulletin GB 2003-28 to address the risk of natural gas production on bitumen recovery in the Athabasca Oil Sands Area (July 22, 2003).
  
  
• The EUB released a Regional Geological Study, which identifies where natural gas is in contact with bitumen in the Wabiskaw McMurray (January 2, 2004).
  
  
• EUB Staff Submission Group released Recommendations for Production Status of Gas Wells Athabasca Wabiskaw-McMurray (January 26, 2004).

The EUB has also conducted public hearings during which it received and considered extensive evidence related to the production of gas from oil sands strata. These hearings considered:

• An application by Gulf Canada Resources Limited for the shut-in of gas production from the Wabiskaw-McMurray Formation in the Surmont Area (EUB Decision 2000-22, March 30, 2000).
  
  
• A number of applications related to the production and shut-in of gas from the Wabiskaw-McMurray Formation in the Chard/Leismer Area (EUB Decision 2003-023, March 18, 2003).
  
  
• Parties challenge some recommendations of an EUB Staff Submission Group relating to the shut-in or continued production of wells in the Wabiskaw-McMurray (EUB Decision 2004-045, EUB Order 04-001, June 8, 2004).

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