Fort McMurray wildfire – AER recovery phase complete

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has been actively monitoring operations in the Fort McMurray area to ensure that the resumption of oil sands mining and in situ operations after the unplanned shutdowns from the wildfires is being conducted in accordance with public safety and environmental protection requirements.

The AER’s recovery efforts in the Fort McMurray area have now been transitioned back to normal regulatory operating practices. The AER will continue to work with all operators on ongoing regulatory and operational matters resulting from the wildfire.

The AER’s Fort McMurray Regional Office has resumed operations, including incident and emergency response for oil sands mining operations. For mining and in situ emergencies, operators are required to contact the Coordination of Information Centre (CIC) at 1-800-222-6514. All other incidents, notifications, and contraventions must be reported by the operator through the CIC.

As previously communicated, operators are reminded that documentation related to the construction of berms and walls that was undertaken to protect facilities must be retained because it may be requested by the AER.

The public notice of application (PNOA) expiration-date extension was granted for applications in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo during the provincial state of emergency. With the provincial state of emergency lifted, the PNOAs for these applications are being posted to AER.ca with a new 30-day deadline for statement of concern submissions.

Effectively immediately, AER Bulletin 2016-12 and Bulletin 2016-13 are hereby rescinded.

For more information, please call the AER Customer Contact Centre at 1-855-297-8311.