Canada's NEB to review northern drilling policy | Oil & Gas Journal

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Feb. 11 -- Canada’s National Energy Board plans to review its policy on same-season relief-well capability for oil and natural gas drilling in the Beaufort Sea. NEB regulates drilling activities under the Canada Oil and Gas Operations Act.

Same-season relief-well capability involves drilling a relief well in the same season that the original well was drilled. The practice is intended to help control a blowout and to reduce spills into the Arctic Ocean.

Imperial Oil Resources Ventures Ltd. applied to NEB on Oct. 23, 2009, for an advance ruling on its well-control plan for future drilling in the Beaufort Sea.

On Feb. 5, NEB said it cannot predetermine whether, or on what terms, it will grant an approval to drill a well. Therefore, the agency plans to review its policy for same-season relief-well capability.

Georgette Habib, NEB presiding panel member, said gathering more information and seeking opinions from the public will benefit both potential applicants and NEB, an independent federal agency that regulates several parts of Canada's energy industry.

Anyone interested in participating in the written hearing must register as a participant by Feb. 22. A technical conference for participants is planned, and more information on the hearing process can be found online at www.neb-one.gc.ca.

More in Home

Oilfield Service Technology Pitfalls And how to avoid them.

Oilfield Service Technology Pitfalls And how to avoid them.

Oilfield service is a tricky business for a number of reasons. But fluctuating demand driven by commodity prices are the root cause behind a number of the challenges executives in this industry face

190912 Equinor Bahamas Spill

Equinor progresses with oil spill recovery in the Bahamas

Equinor is progressing with oil spill recovery at the South Riding Point terminal in the Bahamas after the impact of Hurricane Dorian. An onshore team has started to recover oil and move it into tank storage.

190911 Wgc Equus Schematic

Western Gas aiming for 2024 for start of Equus gas production

Western Gas Corp. reported that its Equus gas project offshore Western Australia is on track for coming on stream in 2024. The estimate follows completion of an “upstream-to-LNG development plan” and the commencement of project financing and partnering.

190910 Eia Steo Chart

EIA continues to lower oil price, demand growth forecasts

In its September Short-Term Energy Outlook, the US Energy Information Administration reduced its 2019 Brent crude oil price forecast to $63/bbl, which is $2/bbl lower than in its August STEO.

190910 Suncor Cogen Coker

Cogeneration due at Suncor oil sands plant

Suncor Energy Inc. will invest $1.4 billion to replace two coke-fired boilers with gas-fired cogeneration units in a project that will cut greenhouse-gas emissions from steam production at its Oil Sands Base Plant by 25%.

190909 Noble Leviathan Lift

Two main topsides lifted onto Leviathan platform

Heerema Marine Contractors’ Sleipnir semisubmersible crane vessel, said to be the world’s largest, completed a 15,300-tonne lift, installing the topsides for Noble Energy’s Leviathan development in the Mediterranean Sea.

190909 Equinor Dorian Terminal

Equinor addresses hurricane-damaged terminal in Bahamas

Equinor continues the work with resources from the Bahamas, the US, and Norway to respond to the effects of Hurricane Dorian on the South Riding Point terminal on Grand Bahama Island and the oil spill at the terminal site and nearby.

190906 Cooper Annie Map

Cooper Energy-led JV makes gas discovery offshore Otway

The 50-50 joint venture of Cooper Energy Ltd., Adelaide, and Japanese entity Mitsui E&P Australia has reported a natural gas discovery with the Annie-1 wildcat in permit Vic/P44 in the Victorian section of the offshore Otway basin.

190905 Cooper Bass Strait Map

Cooper Energy awarded Bass Strait permit

Cooper Energy Ltd., Adelaide, has been awarded an offshore exploration permit in a central part of the Victorian Gippsland basin surrounded by major producing oil and gas fields.

190905 Cheniere Train2

Cheniere takes delivery of Corpus Christi Train 2

Cheniere Energy, Houston, reported the substantial completion of Train 2 at the Corpus Christi Liquefaction (CCL) project in Corpus Christi, Tex., was achieved Aug. 28.

190905 Santos Dorado3 Map

Dorado-3 appraisal well confirms hydrocarbons in three reservoirs

Wireline results in the Santos Ltd.-operated Dorado-3 appraisal well in the Bedout subbasin of northwest Western Australia have confirmed hydrocarbons in the three main reservoirs at the field first discovered in July 2018.

Suction anchor and template from Aker Solutions in Sandnessjoen passing Helgelandsbroen.

Equinor brings Snefrid Nord gas field on stream

Equinor and partners on Sept. 1 started production from Snefrid Nord natural gas field, the first discovery tied back to Aasta Hansteen field, in the Norwegian Sea, setting a new depth record on the Norwegian continental shelf.

190904 Apa2019 Awards Map

APA 2019 draws applications from 33 operators

Thirty-three operators submitted applications to the National Petroleum Directorate (NPD) for petroleum production licenses offshore Norway. The application deadline was Aug. 27.

190903 Equinor Johan Sverdrop

Johan Sverdrup oil field start-up approved

The start-up of Johan Sverdrup oil field in the Norwegian North Sea has been approved by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. Equinor plans start up this fall for Phase 1 development. Construction Phase 2 is expected to start in fourth-quarter 2022.