Oil and Gas Activities Act (OGAA)
Since 2001, the oil and gas industry has become a major force in British Columbia’s economy, employing tens of thousands of people and helping to fuel the province’s strong economic performance.
Through the release of the BC Energy Plan on February 27, 2007, government announced that it envisaged enhancements to the regulatory framework which governs oil and gas activities. Such improvements would enable continued growth in the oil and sector while ensuring such expansion is environmentally and socially responsible. The Oil and Gas Activities Act (OGAA) is an important outcome of this vision.
OGAA: A Product of Consultation
The Oil and Gas Activities Act reflects the considerable consultation that had taken place, commencing in 2002, through the Oil and Gas Regulatory Improvement Initiative (OGRII). Through the OGRII project, communities, local governments, First Nations, landowners, environmental organizations, industry associations and companies provided comments and recommendations to the Oil and Gas Commission (OGC) and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (MEMPR) about the regulatory improvements the Commission and government should consider and potentially implement.
In response to engagement and consultations completed under the OGRII project, the government directed that a contemporary legislative framework be developed to govern oil and gas activities in British Columbia. This framework is based on the following three core goals:
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a thriving and innovative oil and gas industry that supports jobs, fuels the economy and provides revenue to sustain public services;
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environmentally responsible oil and gas development that maintains the highest standards of environmental protection; and
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socially responsible development and protection of the public’s safety and interests.
Through 2007 and into early 2008, Commission and ministry staff engaged in developing new legislation integrating these three objectives. This resulted in the Oil and Gas Activities Act (OGAA), which the government passed in May 2008.
Bringing OGAA Into Effect
OGAA will be brought into effect when new and updated regulations supporting the new Act have been completed.
Developing the supporting regulations requires direct engagement with affected parties. These include First Nations, local governments, industry associations, environmental organizations, and landowner and land use groups. Developing the regulatory requirements also requires a high level of engagement and collaboration between the OGC, MEMPR and government agencies, in particular the Ministries of Agriculture and Lands, Environment and Forests and Range.
The current regulatory framework, which will continue to govern oil and gas activities until the Oil and Gas Activities Act is brought into effect, is comprised of the following statutes:
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the Oil and Gas Commission Act (the OGC Act);
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regulatory components of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act (the P&NG Act);
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the Pipeline Act; and
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six non-oil-and-gas “specified enactment” statutes defined in the OGC Act.
Supporting Regulations to be Completed
The principle regulations that will support the OGAA are:
OGC Board Approved
- Drilling and Production Regulation (updated existing regulation)
- Geophysical Exploration Regulation (updated existing regulation)
- Pipeline and Facilities Regulation
- Oil and Gas Road Regulation
- Emergency Response Plan Regulatiion
- Consultation and Notification Regulation
Lieutenant Governor-in-Council (LGiC) Approved
- Environmental Protection and Management Regulation
- Administrative Penalties Regulation
The final configuration of regulations may change; one or more of the above regulations may be combined to create more cohesive regulatory package.
*NEW* Consultation Draft of the Environmental Protection and Management (EPM) Regulation – OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMENTS
Comments are welcomed but must be sent to Colleen Colwell at Colleen.Colwell@gov.bc.ca no later than November 30, 2009.
The OGAA Information Sessions (Fall ’09) raised awareness of the OGAA and Regulations with leadership, management and practitioners who plan, explore, develop, construct and operate oil and gas activities in BC. The sessions explained what is new and changing with the implementation of OGAA – focussed on the Act, concepts and policy in the Regulations that are being drafted. The sessions provided information on the plans and timeframes for implementing OGAA including the training and support plan.
Sessions were held as follows:
• October 15, 2009, Fort St. John, B.C., to Oil and Gas Commission and other government agencies.
• October 21, 2009, Calgary, AB, to oil and gas executives hosted by Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.
• October 22, 2009, Calgary, AB, to practitioners who plan, develop, construct and/or operate geophysical, wells, facilities and pipelines, and industry associations.
• November 2, 2009, Victoria, B.C., to B.C. government ministries and the Oil and Gas Commission.
• November 4, 2009, Fort St. John B.C., to practitioners who plan, develop, construct and/or operate geophysical, wells, facilities and pipelines, and industry associations.
• 
Getting Started With OGAA PowerPoint Presentation
• OGAA Primer
**Dates to be posted shortly for registration early January 2010**
The OGAA Pre-Implementation Training (Spring ’10) will build on information that was presented in the OGAA Information Sessions (Fall ’09). It will contain comprehensive training, including information on all the regulations, and provide opportunities for participants to deepen, clarify and apply their understanding of the OGAA regulatory requirements. This comprehensive training will be delivered in the spring of 2010 prior to the implementation of the Act and Regulations which is targeted for May 1, 2010.
New! Frequently Asked Questions
Please check this website and the OGC website in the future for updates and information about upcoming events.
Contacts
British Columbia Oil and Gas Commission
Ben Mitchell-Banks, Executive Director, OGAA Implementation Team - FSJ
(250) 261-5705
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
Mike Lambert, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives
(250) 356-1307
Krishna Klear, Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives
(250) 387-5193
