Table Of ContentrA
NO CJ
Siting an Upstream Oil and Gas Site in an
Environmentally Sensitive Area on Private Land
^ A lberta
Environment
Guidance for Private Land
September 2003
REtR/03-2 Alberta Environment requires operators of When sensitive areas cannot be avoided,
upstream oil and gas facilities in operators must prevent, reduce or mitigate all
environmentally sensitive areas to conserve potential adverse effects caused by site
and reclaim land and mitigate effects of their construction and operation. Operators should
activities. expect to be more diligent in planning,
construction and final reclamation of such
sites.
The Alberta Energy and Utilities Board’s
Guide 56 - E nergy Development Application
As a result of Guide no longer requires operators to notify Mitigation plans may include temporary
revisions to Alberta Environment when they propose to construction and conservation practices
locate an upstream oil and gas facility employed until the well status (drilled &
Alberta Energy and
(including a wellsite, battery, pipeline) and abandoned vs. producer) is determined. For
Utilities Board's
Guide 56 - access road on private land in example, a h igh-grade road may not be
environmentally sensitive areas, however, required if the site is drilled and abandoned
\nergy Development
Alberta Environment conservation and
Application Guide, (D&A).
notifications reclamation requirements must be met.
Operators must discuss the upstream oil and
requirements to
Environmental issues for upstream oil and gas gas facility and site access road location with
dberta Environment
facility sites and access roads on public land the landowner/occupant. Contact with the
have changed
(including Special Areas land) are addressed appropriate reclamation inspector is also
through the Mineral Surface Lease (MSL), encouraged prior to construction.
Pipeline Agreement (PLA) and Licence of
If operators choose to construct in an
Occupation (LOC) processes. These processes
remain in effect. environmentally sensitive area, they must
ensure that they have environmental
protection plans, contingency plans, long term
Throughout this document, the word “site”
refers to a wellsite, battery, pipeline and monitoring plans, maintenance plans and
access road.
quality assurance/control programs to address
any potential adverse environmental impacts.
REQUIREMENT TO
CONSERVE AND RECLAIM Plans must address potential seasonal and
weather related effects on soil and site
Section 137 of the Environmental Protection
conditions. These plans must be shared with
and Enhancement Act (EPEA) requires
personnel involved in site construction. An
operators to conserve and reclaim upstream
experienced inspector with capability and
oil and gas facility sites and access roads.
explicit responsibility for environmental
The objective of conservation and protection must be present during
reclamation is to return disturbed land to an construction and reclamation.
equivalent land capability. This objective
This Fact Sheet, effective immediately,
recognizes that landscape, soil, biological
replaces three Information Letters:
resources and water need to be conserved
- Notification of Proposed Wellsite and
and protected. Inappropriate site selection
Access Road in an Environmentally
and construction in environmentally sensitive
Sensitive Area on Private Land,
areas may hamper an operator’s ability to
properly conserve and reclaim the site. C&R/IL/00-6
- Notification for Class II Pipelines on
The location of upstream oil and gas facility Private Land, C&R/IL/00-7
sites and access roads should be planned to - Guidance on Notification of Proposed
avoid sensitive areas and to minimize impacts Wellsite and Access Road in an
to water, soil, vegetation, sensitive species, Environmentally Sensitive Area,
wildlife habitat and land management.
C&R/IL/01-2
Operators must identify environmental
sensitivity at every proposed site and
consider relocating the site when a sensitive
category is identified.
.©
Alberta
Environment Guidance for Private Land
CHECKLIST OF SENSITIVE AREAS ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
An operator must determine the sensitivity of This section identifies concerns and asks
a site prior to construction. The following is questions about each of the environmentally
a checklist of areas to investigate when sensitive categories. Operators should use the
working in sensitive areas. Each of these questions as a g uide in developing mitigation
areas is discussed in more detail in the plans for the site.
following section.
The questions assume that the site will be
Alberta Environment □ Are there significant slopes/cuts on the returned to its original condition. This may
requires operators to proposed site that are >10 m across the not be the case if the landowner requests
conserve, reclaim and lease? improvements be left in place.
mitigate effects of their □ Are there significant elevation changes
Operators should be clear about the proposed
activities in identified along or across the access road that are
end land use of a site and have plans that
environmentally >2 m f or more than 50 m i n length?
sensitive areas □ Will the site be located on sandy soils? address the site’s specific conservation and
□ Will the site be located on an alkaline flat reclamation needs. The plans should be
or dry slough? cflheaxnigbel.e in case the landowner’s preferences
□ Will the site be located in native prairie?
Is the site in a f lood-irrigated area? Elevation Change Across The Lease Is >10 m
□ Will the site be located within 30 m of a
Primary concerns are soil storage, drainage,
valley/coulee break? erosion, stability and reclamation problems
□ Is the site within a 1 - in-1 00-year associated with a l arge cut and fill.
floodplain?
□ Is notification required under any of the Questions to Consider
Codes of Practice associated with the
□ H ow will surface drainage and erosion be
Water Act?
controlled?
□ Is there intermittent drainage across the
site? □ H ow will siltation from surface drainage
□ Does the site have a k nown spring? and erosion be controlled to prevent
□ Are there sensitive wildlife species on or impacts on nearby water bodies, wetlands,
near the site? or drainages?
□ Are rare plant species or plant
communities on or near the site? □ H ow will salvaged soil be protected from
erosion?
Contact the Alberta Natural Heritage
Information Centre to determine if the
□ H ow will soil and original contour be
proposed site is located in an area where
replaced on cut and fill areas?
landscapes and/or species are at risk or in
a d esignated Environmentally Sensitive □ H ow will unsuitable deep subsoil materials
Area (ESA). be identified and be kept below suitable
□ Is the site in a h istorical resource area? subsoil during replacement and
recontouring?
Review the list of Significant Historical
Sites and Areas updated annually by
□ H ow will stored or replaced soil material be
Alberta Community Development.
stabilized, especially where the site is
located in upper or mid-slope positions?
□ H ow will potential long-term soil
settlement be addressed?
Liberia
For more information, please visit Alberta Environment's website at www.gov.ab.ca/env or phone (780) 427-6267 (dial 310-0000 first to connect toll-free).
^ A lberta
Environment Guidance for Private Land
Significant Elevation Changes Along Or Site In Alkaline Flat Or Dry Slough
Across The Access Road These can also include ephemeral wetlands.
If there is at least one portion of the Primary concern is the difficulty of
access road that varies by >2 m f or more revegetation due to unfavorable soil
chemistry.
than 50 m l ength, this is defined as a
significant elevation change.
Questions to Consider
Primary concerns are soil storage,
□ How will sensitive or rare
drainage, erosion, stability and
plants/communities or wildlife be
reclamation problems associated with cut
identified and addressed?
and fill.
□ How will suitable topsoil and subsoil be
Questions to Consider identified and conserved?
□ How will the salvaged soil be protected if
□ How will salvaged soil be protected
the site becomes wet during life of
from erosion?
□ How will unsuitable deep subsoil
□ pHroowj e cwtil?l oilfield product and wastes be
materials be identified and be kept
handled if the site becomes wet during
below suitable subsoil during
life of project?
replacement and recontouring?
□ How will the original hydrological regime
□ How will soil and original contour be
be restored?
replaced on cut and fill areas?
□ How will the site be revegetated (methods
□ How will stored or replaced soil be and species)?
stabilized?
□ How will potential drainage be Site In Native Prairie Area
controlled and erosion addressed for Primary concerns are protection of existing
the life of the road? native vegetation and difficulty to revegetate
□ How will siltation from surface to native vegetation.
drainage be controlled to prevent
impacts on nearby water bodies, Questions to Consider
wetlands, or drainages? □ How will sensitive or rare
Site On Sandy Erodible Soils plants/communities or wildlife be
identified and addressed?
Primary concerns are erosion and
□ How will soil and vegetation resources be
difficulty with revegetation.
conserved?
Questions to Consider □ How will the extent and degree of
disturbance be minimized?
□ How will sensitive or rare
□ How will supplies of appropriate
plants/communities or wildlife be
revegetation species be obtained?
identified and addressed?
□ How will the site be reclaimed to native
□ How will shallow topsoil be identified
and salvaged? vegetation?
□ How will the operator ensure that native
□ How will salvaged and replaced topsoil seed mixes do not contain weeds and
be protected from wind erosion? invasive species?
□ How can the soil surface be modified
□ How will weeds and non-native plants be
to enhance revegetation on natural controlled?
landscapes?
□ How will grazing on the revegetated site
□ How will the site be revegetated be controlled?
(methods and species)?
/dlberra
For more information, please visit Alberta Environment's website at www.gov.ab.ca/env or phone (780) 427-6267 (dial 310-0000 first to connect toll-free).
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©
Alberta
Environment Guidance for Private Land
Site In Flood-Irrigated Area Site Within The 1 -In- 100-Year Floodplain
Primary concerns are disruption of land This includes the floodplain of a river, stream,
contour and farm operations. or lake. There are very few maps showing
1 : 1 00 year floodplains. If there is not one
Questions to Consider
available for the site, use the high-water mark
□ How will land contour be assessed prior or base of the valley walls instead. Some
to construction? activities (e.g., filling) or any intended diking
may need approval under the Water Act.
□ How will disruption to farm operations be
minimized? In addition to any requirement under the
Water Act, EUB approval is required for any
□ How will the site be recontoured to pre- wellsite within 100 m of the high water mark
disturbance conditions?
of a waterbody (Oil and Gas Conservation
□ How will settlement of fill in excavated Regulations 2.120(1 )(a) and Equipment
Spacing Diagram, Appendix 7, EUB Guide 56).
areas be prevented or reclaimed?
Primary concern is the potential for the site to
Site Within 30 M O f A V alley/Coulee Break
be flooded and consequent loss of topsoil or
Primary concerns are geotechnical stability,
spread of contaminants and waste materials.
potential loss of salvaged soil materials and
erosion of the valley break. Note: For the Questions to Consider
purposes of this Fact Sheet, a “ break” is
considered to be the point where ground □ How will suitable topsoil and subsoil be
identified and conserved?
instability occurs owing to slope steepness.
Questions to Consider □ How will the salvaged soil be protected if
the site floods during life of project?
□ Is a g eo-technical survey required to
ensure stability during and following □ How will oilfield product and wastes be
construction and reclamation activities? handled if the site becomes wet during life
□ What setback from watercourses is
of project?
necessary for stability and wildlife
□ How will site impacts on water resources
concerns for wellsites and access roads?
and management be identified and
Note: For ravines and seasonal
controlled?
watercourses, a minimum setback of 15
metres is recommended. For permanent □ How will potential siltation be controlled?
watercourses, a minimum setback of 45
□ How will sensitive or rare
metres from the edge of the breaks to the
plants/communities or wildlife be
edge of the site is recommended.
identified and addressed?
□ How will surface drainage be controlled
and erosion of the valley break be □ How will soil and vegetation resources be
prevented? conserved?
□ How will sensitive or rare
plants/communities or wildlife be □ How will the site be reclaimed to original
identified and addressed? conditions?
□ How will soil and vegetation resources be
conserved? □ How will native vegetation be re-
established?
□ How will the perimeter of the site be
bermed with material that will ensure
fluids are contained?
/dlberra
For more information, please visit Alberta Environment's website at www.gov.ab.ca/env or phone (780) 427-6267 (dial 310-0000 first to connect toll-free).
Alberta
Environment Guidance for Private Land
Note: New watercourse crossings and pipeline Site Has Known Spring
crossings are not allowed in water bodies These sites may need approval under the
Water Act.
identified as “Class A” under the Codes of
Practice pursuant to the Water Act.
Primary concerns are impact to the spring and
Note: Notification is required for activities potential for erosion and siltation.
regulated under the Code of Practice for
Questions to Consider
Pipelines and Telecommunication Lines
Crossins a W ater Body; Code of Practice for □ Can disturbance of springs be avoided?
Watercourse Crossings, and Code of Practice
for the Temporary Diversion of Water for □ How will springs be controlled if disturbed?
Hydrostatic Testing of Pipelines . □ How will sensitive or rare
Intermittent Drainage Across The Site plants/communities or wildlife be
identified and addressed?
Natural drainage must be maintained.
Construction of a crossing over a watercourse
□ How will soil and vegetation resources be
with defined bed and banks may be subject conserved?
to the Code of Practice for Watercourse
Crossings pursuant to the Water Act. □ How will the salvaged soil be protected if
the site becomes wet during life of
Other activities within a d rainage or
watercourse with defined bed and banks that
project?
are not exempt under the Water Act Water □ How will oilfield product and wastes be
(Ministerial) Regulation and are not subject handled if the site becomes wet during life
to the Code of Practice for Watercourse
of project?
Crossings will require an approval under the
Water Act. □ How will original hydrological conditions
be reclaimed?
Primary concerns are impeding drainage,
□ How will erosion and siltation caused by
controlling erosion and potential siltation of
water bodies. the springs be prevented and/or
controlled?
Questions to Consider
□ How will slopes with springs be protected?
□ How will sensitive or rare
□ How will the disturbance around springs be
plants/communities or wildlife be
identified and addressed? revegetated?
□ How will soil and vegetation resources be
conserved?
□ How will the salvaged soil be protected if
the site becomes wet during life of
project?
□ How will oilfield wastes be handled if the
site becomes wet during life of project?
□ How will surface drainage be controlled
and erosion and siltation be addressed?
□ How will the original drainage course be
maintained?
/dlbcrra
For more information, please visit Alberta Environment's website at www.gov.ab.ca/env or phone (780) 427-6267 (dial 310-0000 first to connect toll-free).
