Release Date
Today, we released a new edition of Directive 020: Well Abandonment. The changes are designed to streamline regulatory processes, including routine commingled abandonment of completed pools for wells in AER-vetted subsurface geological strata in designated regions of the province.
We made the following changes to the directive:
- Clarification has been provided in section 2.2 regarding the notification requirement for well abandonment operations, emphasizing that it covers all types of abandonment: zonal abandonment, surface abandonment (cut and cap), well re-entry, and reabandonment.
- Section 3.3 of the directive now permits re-entry operation to repair a leaking well or lower casing stubs as routine. AER approval is no longer required to install a wellhead when re-entering an abandoned well to assess or prepare for repair of a leaking well or lower casing stub. However, all other requirements remain in effect before and after re-entry, including notifying and obtaining approval from the surface and mineral rights owners before installing the wellhead. The section now includes a reporting requirement related to well re-entry.
- Provided regulatory guidance and included a reminder in section 5.1 for regulated parties of the existing requirements regarding acceptable stabilized pressure testing of downhole plugs, including bridge plug, plugged permanent packer, and cement installed during zonal abandonment.
- The regulatory expectation related to cement top determination has been clarified in section 5.2.1.
- Added content on commingling regions to section 5.6, including information on new qualified pools for commingled abandonment in east-central Alberta and a new routine commingled abandonment region. (The estimated liability for affected wells will be updated in the coming months to reflect the newly approved geological strata within the commingled abandonment region.)
- The regulatory expectations related to groundwater protection have been clarified in section 5.7.
- For multiwell pads or sites, section 8 has been revised to permit licensees to defer the removal of surface equipment and associated facilities until all wellbores on the pad have been abandoned.
See section 1.3 of the directive for more information on changes.
The revised edition of the directive is available on the Directive 020 landing page.
If you have any questions, contact our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 1-855-297-8311 or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.
