The Acknowledgement of Reclamation (AOR) Program administered by the Government of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Energy and Resources oversees the reclamation of all well and facility sites licensed under The Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, 2012.
Listing of Wells and Facilities Subject to the AOR Program
Licensees can refer to the LLR Well List or LLR Facility List to determine if a licence has associated AOR Program Approvals. Alternatively, those with IRIS access can refer to the Reclamation Tab for more comprehensive details related to the AOR Program approvals for a particular licence.
Note: The following licence types do not require an application under the AOR Program as they hold no liability under the LLR Program:
- Re-entered wells as the new well licence associated with the wellbore would hold the abandonment and reclamation responsibility in place of the original well licence.
- Cancelled well/facility licences in which the site has not been built in association with the cancelled licence.
How to Satisfy Reclamation Obligations
Licensees seeking to satisfy their reclamation obligations for their facility sites may submit one or more of the following applications:
- Acknowledgement of Reclamation (AOR): For sites reclaimed in accordance with The Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, 2012.
- Grandfathered Reclamation Release: For sites that were reclaimed before the implementation of the AOR Program on June 19, 2007.
- Exemption from Reclamation (overlap activity): For sites where reclamation is prevented due to overlapping well or facility activities on the land area.
- Reclamation Declaration Application: For sites that have been reclaimed and establishment of vegetation is still required, licensees may be eligible for a temporary reduction in reclamation liability.
All applications are submitted through the Integrated Resource Information System (IRIS).
Audits of Reclaimed Sites
Each year, the ministry selects sites where the reclamation had been previously approved under the AOR Program for audits to determine if the abandonment and reclamation standards continue to be met.
The ministry seeks qualified third party consultants to conduct the subsurface audit projects which are advertised annually on SaskTenders.
If issues are found during the audit, the ministry will notify the licensee or working interest participants of their responsibility to undertake further abandonment or reclamation work at the site. The licensee or working interest participant is responsible for any costs incurred for completing any additional work at the site.