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Bulletin 2009-04

February 10, 2009

Invitation for Feedback—Draft Directive on Oil and Gas Development Within or Proximal to Water Bodies

In Bulletin 2008-48, issued December 19, 2008, the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) announced that a cross-ministry committee including the ERCB, Alberta Environment, Sustainable Resource Development, and the Special Areas Board had identified a number of issues related to oil and gas development within or proximal to water bodies. The committee has developed a draft directive to address these issues. The directive identifies and clarifies the requirements regarding oil and gas development in relation to water bodies. It aims to ensure that industry understands how to meet these requirements and that the requirements are interpreted and applied consistently.

The committee invites stakeholders to provide feedback, preferably electronically, on the draft directive Oil and Gas Development Within or Proximal to Water Bodies, which is available on the ERCB Web site www.ercb.ca under Industry Zone : Rules, Regulations, and Requirements : Directives. Paper copies of the draft directive are available from ERCB Information Services, 640 – 5 Avenue SW, main floor; telephone: 403-297-8311; fax: 403-297-7040; e-mail: infoservices@ercb.ca.

Feedback may be submitted electronically until March 20, 2009, by completing the Water Body Directive Feedback form available on the Web alongside the draft directive. Stakeholders are asked to provide all of the information requested on the form and are urged to submit their comments electronically so that responses can be compiled into a database. The on-line form fields have space for full feedback. If you are unable to submit electronically, hard-copy feedback may be mailed to Stewart MacKinnon, ERCB Facilities Applications Group, 640 – 5 Avenue S.W., Calgary AB  T2P 3G4, and must include

1) Company or individual name:
2) Contact information: phone number; e-mail address
3) The specific section(s) of the directive that you wish to provide feedback on
4) The page number(s) of the section(s)
5) The issue
6) Your possible solutions, recommendations, and comments
7) The rationale to support your solution or recommendation

All feedback received will be reviewed by the cross-ministry committee for the purpose of finalizing this draft directive. It will also be used and disclosed pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of Alberta.
The draft directive will remain posted on the ERCB Web site until March 20, 2009, and feedback will be accepted until March 20, 2009.

<original signed by>

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