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Bulletin 2008-20

April 29, 2008

Directive 062: Coalbed Methane Control Well Requirements and Related Matters Issued and Revision to ST105: PVT and Core Studies Index

1 Coalbed Methane Control Well Requirements and Related Matters

Control well requirements for coalbed methane developments have been formally in place since October 2006.  Information regarding control well wells is found in various Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) publications and on the ERCB Web site. Since October 2006, the ERCB has received many questions regarding control wells.

The ERCB has now issued Directive 062: Coalbed Methane Control Well Requirements and Related Matters, which updates and consolidates the information respecting control wells into one document and clarifies issues raised by industry since October 2006.

The major issues raised by industry and clarified in Directive 062 include

• geological issues related to the validation of control wells,
• testing requirements related to the validation of desorption control wells, and
• deferrals and exceptions to control well requirements.

Directive 062 is available on the ERCB Web site www.ercb.ca under Industry Zone : Rules, Regulations, Requirements : Directives.

2 Revision to ST105: PVT and Core Studies Index

ST105: PVT and Core Studies Index (formerly Guide 14) had required that all special core analyses, including coalbed methane desorption reports, be submitted to the ERCB Core Research Centre. ST105 has been revised to require that, effective immediately, two paper copies and a CD ROM of the desorption reports for coalbed methane and shale gas be sent to the Section Leader, Coal and Unconventional Gas, Geology and Reserves, ERCB, 640 – 5 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta  T2P 3G4. No other significant revisions, other than where the reports are to be filed, have been made to the ST105 report.

E. A. Shirley, P.Geol.
Executive Manager
Applications Branch