WEST CENTRAL STAKEHOLDERS
September 11, 2012, 3:30 p.m.
Walking Eagle
“To provide an open forum for the people of West Central Alberta to present and discuss information related to the oil and gas industry.”
Attendance:
Krista Waters, facilitatorBrenda Ross, CommunityGerald Knopp, community
Rick Anderson, communityBrian Bilawchuk, CountyChristine Beermann, PennWest
Doug Ray, DevonMonica Rice, EnerplusDon Riddle, Keyera
Judy Winter, communityJustine Gardner, ERCBAmber Casey, Bonavista
Geof Kerr, NewAltaEric Berg, ShellGerry Laslo, Community
Jan Palsen, TalismanJennifer Lutz, ERCBKelly Josephison, Anderson
Laurence Wenzel, SuncorMiles Nielsen, HuskySarah Johnson, Talisman
Lee Fisher, TransCanadaAimee Delaney, Clear Water Landcare
Cal Rakatch, Tervita Mike Haugen, Clearwater County
Trevor Duley, Clearwater County Murray Welch, communityMarty Hinchell, Clearwater County
INTRODUCTIONS:How’d your summer go?
REVIEW MEETING NOTES:Approved
REVIEW AGENDA: Add Synergy Conference to Discussion Items
ACTION ITEMS FOLLOW UP
- Road Use Agreement from Clearwater County: distributed
- SOMAG update:Met today – limited response from companies today. Looking to go to semi-annual meetings and for a new Chair at the December meeting.
- CMAC update:have had delays getting signage in west country and are printing new brochures as well. Discussion of best practices and learnings for emergency response exercises. New Chair – Derek from H2 Safety. Next meeting Nov. 27 – 8 am
- Clearwater Land Care Group update:Celebrating Our Successes – Thursday, November 15, 2012. Call for Presenters (looking for a dozen or 15) and call for Sponsors handed out. Also an invitation to attend. Great opportunity to hear some good news stories and network with folks.
- Company Invites:Not a lot of contact over the summer. Bellatrix seems positive. Birch Hill and Pengrowth are on the radar. Whitecap.
ACTION ITEMS: Krista to keep in touch with Bellatrix and Yangerra and touch base with Birch Hill, Pengrowth and Whitecap.
- Display Update:Typo is being fixed.
- Student Summary: Will be included in the upcoming newsletter.
- CAPP Fracturing BMPs discussion – Distributed the Fluid Transport, Handling, Storage and Disposal; Water Sourcing, Measurement and Reuse; Wellbore Construction and Quality Assurance; Fracturing Fluid Additive Risk Assessment and Management;Fracturing Fluid Additive Disclosure; Baseline Groundwater Testing. Perhaps put a link in the Newsletter with the headings. At Info Night perhaps give a brief explanation what CAPP is and the relationship with companies vs. the regulator. ERCB rep could highlight regulations and refer to industry BMPs. Eric Berg to invite Shell CAPP rep to attend. Add link on WCS website. Krista will email link again with meeting notes. Suggestion to look at CAPP’s little booklet called Principles of Natural Gas – source of a lot of good information.
ACTION ITEMS: Eric to invite Shell CAPP rep to attend info night
ACTION ITEMS:Krista to put links to CAPP BMPs on website.
ACTION ITEMS: Krista to add explanation of CAPP (how it’s different from regulators) and the BMPs in the newsletter.
MEMBER UPDATES
Anderson –No new activity
Apache –absent
Baytex-currently installing a pipeline and setting up production equipment on a well at 16-24-41-8W5
Bonavista – Ferrier area: tie-in of one well in area to be completed in September. Drilling rigs located at 1-32-41-5W5 (13-33-41 5W5 bottomhole), 8-3140-4W5 (1-30-40-4W5 bottomhole). Should keep two drilling rigs working until end of November. 11-20-44-2 Turnaround work scheduled for Sept 13-15. Vessel inspections and PSVs to be recertified.
Gilby currently has two drilling rigs- pipeline work and new pipeline installs, pipeline clean-ups. No new facilities expected this year.
Summer activities were normal with no major issues. Vegetation management go behind this summer due to wet weather conditions.
Student Members –WCS is currently seeking new student members
Clearwater County/Mike- Wrapping up summer projects – plow truck went out to Nordegg this morning. Finalizing budgets currently. Formation of next year’s work plans. Taxes due this week for all but farmers. Council will be resuming open houses – upcoming in Caroline and Crammond.
Clearwater County/Brian- County has road closure on Twp Rd 41-3 between RR4-3 and RR 4-5 for bridge construction. County will be conducting bridge repair work on Twp Rd 40-2 commencing Sept 25th and on Twp Rd 41-2 before winter.
Conducting side slope improvements on Old Hwy 11A.
Ongoing local road construction on Rr 6-3 by Hwy 598, RR 7-4 by twp rd 41-2 and RR 5-0 by Twp Rd 38-0. Beginning maintenance of Condor lagoon. Centreview Hall being torn down and material hauled away for disposal. Plains Midstream conducting a number of integrity digs on various pipeline locations in County, some of which will require road closure of local roads.
Asphalt overlay and side slope improvements are starting on Oras, Burnstick Lake and James River roads. Asphalt overlay is scheduled for Pidherney’s subdivision.
Information on these and any other County projects can be found on the Clearwater County website or contact the County office at 403-845-4444.
Clearwater County Council-absent
Clear Water Landcare-water sampling has come to a close at Cow Lake. A “Caring for Our Watersheds” project has begun to be incorporated into Clearwater area schools. Projects for riparian areas in the James River area have to voiced and will be sought out in October.
West Country ag tour had two Clear Water Landcare stops: an algae growth dugout and Cow Lake for water quality.
ConocoPhillips– absent
Devon- twodrilling rigs in Cow Lake area. Completions and pipelines to follow.
Encana –absent. No new activity.
Enerplus Corp-nothing to report
ERCB- Jan 1- Aug 31 statistics for WCS area: new wells drilled 123 (109 were horizontal); 277km of new pipeline. 157 inspections conducted with 14% low risk, 6 % high risk and 80 % satisfactory.
2011 Appropriate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Review released showing 89% resolution rate. Available on line.
New ERCB website launched. 5 bulletins and info on new directives online for anyone interested.
ERCB has engaged an independent third-party to assess the ERCB’s current regulatory requirements relating to public safety and response to pipeline incidents, pipeline integrity management and safety of pipelines near water bodies. Following a request for proposal process, Group 10 Engineering of Calgary has been contracted to conduct the review.
In recent years pipeline safety rates have been at their highest in Alberta’s history but the ERCB is constantly re-evaluating current regulations in light of new technologies and changing societal expectations.
Gerald– nothing new
GerryLaslo- completed time in Fort McMurray. Updates on Suicide Prevention initiatives. Sponsorship opportunities. Talk to Gerry.
Husky-No new activty
Imperial-. absent
Judy-Reminder of Synergy Conference – October 29 – 31 – Red Deer – Go to Synergy Alberta website for info and registration.
Keyera– Replacing a sulphur storage tank and part of the deepcut unit at Strachan. Turnaround at Nordegg Plant.
Murray-
NewAlta- Eckville – oil (pipeline) pump has been upgraded allowing for higher nominations and less waiting times for trucks. Stauffer – new disposal well completed early September should be running soon for west central area firms requiring water disposal. Willesden Green – heavy oil deliveries are way down so there is lots of room for new customer oil injection into the Plains Midstream pipeline.
PennWest – facility upgrade in Faraway. 2 drilling rigs active 1-Medicine River and 1-Crimson Lake. After these rigs are done they will be racked til November 2012. 3 new well start ups and pipeline activity Medicine River.
During the summer PennWest was a major sponsor of these fundraising events: Gord Bamford Golf Tournament, Central Alberta Health Region Cattle Round-Up, Curtis Glencross Poker Tournament and Rough Stock Event Fundraiser.
Victim of copper wire theft in Faraway during the summer.
Rick- nothing new. Good summer.
Shell- Caroline Plant turnaround is complete and is up and running. Shell is planning some exploration work in the Rocky area – more info to come.
Suncor/Nordegg-Business as usual. Will start reclaiming Getty Saunders road in September.
Suncor/Gilby Plant: business as usual.
Suncor/Ferrier Infill –currently reclaiming production pads on last phase of wells. Plans for more wells on hold for now.
Suncor/Ferrier Gas Plant: business as usual
Suncor/Wilson Creek project- Drilling rig has drilled 4 of 6 wells in the phase and is currently on a 4-well pad south of Buck Lake. Drilling may have a gap after this pad. Completions are out with one service rig to prep wells and have begun fracs and flow back of wells previously drilled. Facilities work continues tying in previous wells and setting up facilities on locations and Pumpjacks. Sweet oil battery is under construction now and includes gas dehy, treater, tanks and compression site at approximately 20 kms west on Iola Road. Start up planned for October. 3-phase power is also being run to al lnew locations in field and battery.
Suncor/Wilson Creek Gas Plant-has shut in its sour production wells and is working in the re-route of sour production to send it to Keyera Rimbey Plant. The plant is currently cooling down and laying up the sulphur train. The Wilson Creek gas plant will be adding a refrigeration unit for processing more sweet gas in the fall. Some logistics work has started there.
Suncor/Ferrier Plant-Business as usual.
Suncor/Nordegg-business as usual. Starting to clean up some old drill cuttings bio piles that are on leases and haul to approved landfill.
SRD- absent
Talisman-13-35 drilling. Pipeline and facilities completed. 12-32 construction completed. Water hauling from Frisco pit- landowners/residents have been notified. 3D seismic program to begin this fall.
TAQA-O’Chiese: 3 wells drilled and completed. Facility construction ongoing.
Farrier: 1 well drilled awaiting completions. Rig drilling in Sunchild/O’Chiese on two well pad. 2-3 more drills planned in Sunchild/O’Chiese.
Wilson Creek: 4 wells drilled not completed. Rig on 5th well. 6” flowline completed. TAQA acquired interests in NuVista property in Alder Flats, Minnehik, Ferrier, Pembina and Easy Ford areas. Totals 25% of NuVista’s assets.
Tervita- Nothing new to report.
TransCanada– We will be completing an in-line inspection of a 30” line from our Nordegg facility down to Sundre in early October. The National Energy Board (NEB) conducting audit of standby meter stations in mid-September in West Central area.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
- Communications-Submission to the paper made in June and another one in August with students’ summary. Upcoming Newsletter items – CAPP BMP, 10th Anniversary of WCS, Info Nite article, Student Summary from 2011/12.
- Agenda committees –Wednesday, November 21st, 2012. Water and fracturing focus. Committee met today.
- 3 presentation points:
- Landowner/Community perspective – questions/concerns that come up
- Industry perspective – CSUR fracturing overview
- Regulatory perspective – split between ERCB and Alberta Environment
Keep it local
Water sourcing
Water disposal
4 pm – Room set-up
6 pm – Doors Open
6:30 – Presentations begin
- 10 min – Landowner
- 80 min – CSUR/ERCB/AE
8:00 – Q & A
8:30 – Wrap-up
9:00 – Done
Companies that are utilizing water bmps/new technologies, etc to conserve water in fracing ought to plan to share those at their booths or in answer to questions.
- BMP Committee- Tabled. Updated Landowner Rights Guide. Review of road use from Clearwater County to ensure expectations are covered off in BMP and also for an opportunity for the County to share WCS BMP with companies to ensure companies are aware of things to address for landowners in Clearwater County.
Action Item:Eric, Jan, Brian & Judy to review the WCS BMP and cross reference to County of Clearwater road use agreement and if there are things to add to BMP, and if there are any suggestions to county for things to add to Road Use Agreement (subject to county approval). BMP is a general public document and the County Road Use Agreement is industry based. Brian from Clearwater County will assist as needed. DUE DATE: October WCS Meeting
Industry Co-ordination/Cumulative Impacts – SPOG is working on a similar process so might as well hold off and see what happens and possibly amend the process afterwards, potential for some positive outcomes for companies and the general public.
Action Item:Possibly use this as a topic for a future news letter.
- West Country Sub-Committee–brochures were out during the summer across the area as well as distributed by SRD. Krista will be picking them up soon as camping season winds down. Eric updated on progress with bigger group (beyond just West Central and oil and gas). Need to sit down with oil and gas companies active in west country to identify facilities, no-go areas, areas of preferred access etc.
Cal Rakach attended to speak to work going on with ministers regarding a potential Delegated Adminstrative Organization to oversee trail management and take on liability. He’s seeking letters of support to be provided to ministers ahead of fall sitting of legislature. One from group and/or from individual companies. Companies need legal approval to provide so may not make deadline. Consensus that group itself cannot provide such a letter. Up to the individual companies.
Action Item:Krista will circulate Cal’s information package so companies can look into possibly providing a letter.
- Finances– Update provided for information. Little activity over the summer.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
- WCS 10th Anniversary in 2012 – Need to highlight anniversary.
Action Item:10th Anniversary Celebration at Fall Information Night and add info to newsletter
- Synergy Alberta Conference –October 29 – 31, 2012
- Tabled discussion of Mountaineer advertising opportunity and possible SRD presentation.
NEXT MEETING:Tuesday,October 2 @ 3:30PM at Walking Eagle