Transferring a Cancelled or Abandoned Well
All wells – including a cancelled or abandoned well – can be transferred. Where possible, the proper Acknowledgement of Reclamation (AOR) Program process is to be completed before transferring a cancelled well to ensure unnecessary liability is not transferred to the new owner.
Once transferred, any existing abandonment or reclamation liability associated with the well becomes the new licensee's responsibility. Refer to the Acknowledgement of Reclamation (AOR) Program page for information on removing associated reclamation liability.
Acquiring Crown Mineral Leases
Petroleum and natural gas dispositions in Saskatchewan are acquired through Crown Public Offerings. Companies request land to be posted in the Public Offering and bid on parcels within the Integrated Resource Information System (IRIS).
There are a number of scenarios where an oil and gas disposition may be eligible to be transferred. In these scenarios, acquisition through the Public Offering would not be required. These include:
- if the transferor(s) and the transferee(s) have agreed to and signed (executed) the transfer; or
- if a transfer is executed by or on behalf of a trustee, receiver, receiver-manager, liquidator, executor, administrator, property guardian or other person acting in a similar capacity and is accompanied by required documentation as set out in the Crown Minerals Act; or
- if the transfer is a redistribution of the interest among the remaining holders.
For more information on mineral lease transfers visit Transfer a Crown Oil and Gas Disposition Application.
Transferring a Reporting Facility and RTP Operatorship
The transferor must submit all necessary Reporting Facility and/or Royalty/Tax Payer (RTP) operator changes in Petrinex and ensure that the new transferee has accepted the operatorship. The Transferor should confirm that all necessary RTP Payer updates are completed by the new RTP operator. This work is all done in Petrinex, if you are unsure or require assistance, please contact the ER Service Desk at er.servicedesk@gov.sk.ca or 1-855-219-9373. If there are no Reporting Facilities or RTP records associated to the licences transferred, there is no further Petrinex action required.