News Release April 17, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EUB RECEIVES SULPHUR RECOVERY GUIDELINES (GRANDFATHERING) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ADVISORY GROUP
Calgary, Alberta (April 17, 2000) In the spring of 1999, Alberta's Ministers of Resource Development and Environment directed that a review of the province's sulphur recovery guidelines be carried out by the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) in consultation with Alberta Environment (AENV). This review would ensure that the rules and regulations surrounding provincial sulphur recovery requirements remain appropriate and adequate to protect the public.
In order to gain effective public input into the review, a discussion paper was generated by the EUB and AENV outlining some of the issues associated with sulphur recovery. Public comment on the paper was solicited and to date a number of submissions have been received. This included the report of a multi-stakeholder Advisory Group of invited environmental, industry and public representatives headed by a third-party facilitator (membership list attached). Their report was submitted on April 12, 2000 and is now available on the EUB web site at www.ercb.ca.
With the receipt of the various public comments, the EUB and AENV have now completed the initial phase of the Sulphur Recovery Review Process. The EUB and AENV now intend to carry out a detailed review of these submissions, including the report of the Advisory Group, and generate a report assessing all of the recommendations that have been received.
Background
When the requirements for sulphur recovery at sour gas plants were revised in 1988, existing sour gas plants were not required to meet the new sulphur recovery guidelines (i.e. they were grandfathered). This decision was made based on the size of the perceived environmental benefits relative to the associated costs, and because of the believed-to-be short life expectancy of many of these plants.
However, since that time, many of these plants have been or may be upgraded, and now have longer life expectancies. There is also a broader awareness of environmental issues. Therefore, it was determined a review of the regulations as set out in 1988 in EUB Information Letter (IL) 88-13, Sulphur Recovery Guidelines for Sour Gas Plants in Alberta was appropriate.
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This news release, the Sulphur Recovery Guidelines Advisory Group Report, a background document Discussion Paper for Stakeholder Consultation and IL 88-13 are available on the EUB Website at http://www.ercb.ca
For further information please contact:
Greg Gilbertson, Senior Advisor
EUB Communications
Tel: (403) 297-3648
Fax: (403) 297-3757
E.mail: greg.gilbertson@eub.gov.ab.ca
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Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
Sulphur Recovery Review Advisory Group
Chairman
Harold Keushnig Regulatory Affairs Consultant.
Environment Members
Dr. Martha Kostuch Environmental activist. Veterinarian from Rocky Mountain House. Representing the Prairie Acid Rain Coalition. Active in air pollution issues for over 20 years.
Tom Marr-Laing Environmental activist. Directs the Energy Watch program of the Pembina Institute. Energy Watch advocates for policies and practices by government and industry that reduce risks to the environment and human health associated with fossil fuel production and use.
Industry Members
Paul Galachiuk Director of Upgrading Process Engineering at the Suncor Energy Oil Sands facility in Ft. McMurray. Over 18 years experience in both the refining and upgrading areas of crude oil processing.
Ian Kilgour More than 20 years of experience in the upstream petroleum industry with Shell Canada. Principle focus has been natural gas operations and development.
Gordon Rankin Over 20 years of experience within the oil and gas industry in Canada and internationally. Experience and responsibilities have been in both operations and facility engineering areas.
Ron Schmitz Environmental engineer with Husky Oil. Past experience with numerous Clean Air Strategic Alliance (CASA) groups, including SO2 Management Project Team, and the Enhanced Performance subgroup of the Acidifying Emissions Management Implementation Team.
Technical/Academic Members
Dr. Sheldon Roth Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, and Director of the Environmental Research Centre at the University of Calgary. Research interests include toxicity of environmental pollutants such as hydrogen sulphide.
Ed Wichert Oil and gas industry consultant with many years of sour gas industry experience. Research interest in sour gas properties.
Public Members
Dave Brown A rancher in the Caroline sour gas exploration and production area of west central Alberta. Active in the Sundre Petroleum Operators Group (SPOG) which combines industry and public representation to deal with mutual aid, environmental and community affairs issues.
Bart Guyon Bison rancher and municipal official in the Drayton Valley gas production area, with 15 years of oil and gas industry experience in electrical and instrumentation construction and maintenance.
