Oil and Gas - Alberta Wilderness Association

Prairie Bluff, Castle (N. Douglas)

Moose Mountain well, Kananaskis (N. Douglas)

According to Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, oil and gas well reclamation is progressing at a much slower rate than well abandonment. This is resulting in a buildup of uncertified wells. On average, between 2002 and 2011, 14,227 wells were drilled per year, 4,111 were abandoned and 1,682 certified. This indicates that over the last 10 years, the certification rate has been approximately 40.9 per cent of the abandonment rate (Oil and Gas Reclamation, Alberta ESRD, March 2012)

Position

Alberta Wilderness Association believes that hydrocarbon exploration and development should be regulated in a manner that is consistent with the maintenance of wilderness values. There is a fundamental need for the maintenance of wilderness that is free of industrial incursion. Outside of such areas, exploration and development must be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner.

2020

In February, AWA learned that Alberta-based Seven Generations Energy was the first Canadian natural gas producer to receive Equitable Origins’ (EO) certification to the EO100 standard. AWA has since engaged with Equitable Origins certifiers to support a sound application of the biodiversity provisions of their oil and gas certification, which we believe could help improve energy industry land-use practices. Since June, AWA has engaged directly with Seven Generations Energy around biodiversity concerns and opportunities in its Kakwa region lease holdings.

In early April, AWA voiced concerns about Alberta’s March 31 decision to suspend most energy industry environmental compliance reporting requirements. We were unconvinced that this was a pandemic safety-related measure since all data gathering and record-keeping requirements remained. We joined First Nations and other ENGOs in raising concerns when Alberta further suspended most environmental monitoring requirements in late April and early May; this occurred at a time when other economic activities were re-opening with pandemic safety measures in place. Although reporting and monitoring resumed in July 2020, AWA remains concerned about the interruption of compliance reporting and loss of data collection without transparent justification.

February 5, 2015

AWA Letter to Premier and AER on Fracking Earthquake and Ecological Risks in West Central Alberta

AWA’s letter asks for effective cumulative effects management of serious and growing risks to water…

November 3, 2014

AWA News Release: Caribou Worse Off After 10 Years of Alberta Recovery Plan

Ten years after Alberta’s 2004-2014 woodland caribou recovery plan began, habitat disturbance keeps increasing far…

November 2, 2014

AWA Wilderness & Wildlife Defenders: Grasslands and Grizzlies on the Plains

Dear Wilderness Defender, Sensitive Milk River Ridge Grasslands and Grizzlies on the Plains Need Your…

October 10, 2014

AWA News Release: Alberta Oil-Gas-Oilsands Footprint Grows in Endangered Caribou Habitat Despite Viable Alternatives

An area the size of Prince Edward Island (over 560,000 hectares) has been auctioned for…

October 8, 2014

AWA Letter to Premier re: Lease Sales in Milk River Ridge HR

Letter sent by AWA to Premier Jim Prentice regarding the proposed establishment via the SSRP…

December 17, 2013

Alberta’s New Energy Regulator and Pipeline Breaches: Will We See Better Disclosure?

Wild Lands Advocate update, October 2013, by Sean Nichols. The information regarding a pipeline spill…

December 5, 2013

New Roads, Cutblocks and Wells Undermine Little Smoky Caribou Critical Habitat

Significant new disturbance within caribou ranges in west central Alberta is destroying federally protected critical…

July 25, 2013

Energy Industry Disturbances and Leases in Little Smoky Caribou and A La Peche Caribou Ranges: A Step in the Right Direction

Wild Lands Advocate update, April/May 2013, by Carolyn Campbell. New mineral rights leasing in Little…

July 11, 2013

Oil and gas activity can have a wide range of impacts on natural ecosystems, from the initial exploration stage, through development, production and decommissioning of infrastructure.