Background
The Ministry of Energy and Resources is seeking written comments on changes to Directive PNG013: Well Data Submission Requirements (Directive PNG013). Directive PNG013 came into force in 2016 and outlines the ministry’s requirements re: the submission of data for drilling, completion, workover and abandonment of wells licensed under The Oil and Gas Conservation Act.
The Process
The ministry is holding consultations on the amended Directive PNG013 from December 9, 2022, to January 27, 2023. Once this consultation period has concluded, the ministry will review consultation feedback in preparation of a final draft of the amended Directive PNG013, which is expected to come into effect in the winter of 2023.
Summary of Proposed Changes
Directive PNG013 has never been revised since it came into force and the ministry plans to update Directive PNG013 to support new and amended directives, to align it with previous regulatory changes and to clarify business processes. Specifically, the ministry wishes to amend Directive PNG013 to:
- Make numerous clean-up edits throughout to improve clarity, organization and formatting and to remove redundant and out-of-date information;
- Incorporate sections repealed from The Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, 2012 re: the submission of drill cores/cutting samples, reservoir surveys and production/injection well testing data; and
- Codify the ministry’s existing guidelines re: submission of drill cuttings samples, and current practices re: the submission of thin sections of core.
The amended Directive PNG013 (proposed new section 6.2.2) also features additional hydraulic fracturing data submission requirements to support Directive PNG048: Hydraulic Fracturing Requirements (Directive PNG048). Please note that these requirements were already consulted on through stakeholder engagement on Directive PNG048 conducted during the summer of 2022. Further details on this are available on the Directive PNG048 consultation page.
Review of Amended Directive
Further details on the proposed amendments may be found in the Notice of Proposed Directive Amendments document. Please submit feedback on the proposed regulatory enhancements to the ER Service Desk at er.servicedesk@gov.sk.ca by January 27, 2023.