Interpretation

1   In this regulation, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Act" means the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act;

"gas" means natural gas as defined in the Act;

"oil" means petroleum as defined in the Act;

"operator" means the owner responsible to the regulator for the drilling, completion, production and abandonment of a well or the general construction, operation and reclamation of any production facility or plant covered by this regulation;

"project area" means the maximum applied for area after any amendments to the geophysical program, determined as the product of the width and the length of the survey line.

[am. B.C. Reg. 187/2023, Sch., s. 14.]

Spacing area

1.1   For the purposes of the definition of "spacing area" in section 1 of the Act, a spacing area consists of an area of land surface and subsurface specified under Part 7 of the Act.

[en. B.C. Reg. 33/2020, App. 3.]

Repealed

2   Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 269/2010, Sch., s. 13.]

Repealed

3   Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 233/2003, s. (b).]

Repealed

4   Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 269/2010, Sch., s. 13.]

Unitized operations

5   (1) The minister must encourage efforts initiated by owners of oil and gas interests in any pool to consolidate, merge or otherwise combine their interests for the purpose of accomplishing the more efficient and more economical development and production of the oil and gas resources of the pool, irrespective of whether that purpose is accomplished by unit operation, cooperative development or joint participation.

(2) The drilling, production and other field operations provided for in an agreement for the unitized operation of a pool, or a part thereof, must not be put into effect until a copy of the form of the agreement has been filed with the minister and the regulator.

(3) If an agreement for the unitized operation of a pool or part thereof has been filed with the minister and the regulator,

(a) the minister and the regulator must be advised immediately upon the coming into effect of the agreement as to what tracts have qualified for inclusion in the unitized area, and

(b) the minister and the regulator must be advised immediately upon any change in the unitized area as to each addition or deletion from the unitized area.

(4) If, by an agreement filed under subsection (2), the owners of the oil and gas interest agree that a designated person is to be their operator with respect to their functions, powers, duties, obligations and responsibilities under the Act and regulations, the performance or nonperformance thereof by the designated person is to be treated as the performance or nonperformance by the owners otherwise responsible therefor under the provisions of the Act and regulations.

(5) In the event of non-compliance with a unitization order given under section 115 (2) of the Act, the minister may give instructions for any relevant well or wells to be shut-in for a period determined by the minister.

[am. B.C. Reg. 187/2023, Sch., s. 14.]

Availability of records

6   Complete and accurate records of quantities of oil and gas that are produced, sold, purchased, acquired, stored, transported, refined or processed must be kept and maintained in British Columbia, and must be available for examination and copying at all reasonable times by any person authorized by the regulator, and the regulator may require that the records be filed with the regulator.

[am. B.C. Reg. 187/2023, Sch., s. 14.]

Repealed

7-8   Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 269/2010, Sch., s. 13.]

Special projects

9   The following special projects are prescribed for the purposes of section 58 (1) (b) of the Act:

(a) development or production of petroleum or natural gas, or both, from a field or pool or portion of a field or pool, using repressuring, recycling or pressure maintenance to enhance recovery;

(b) operation or use of a storage reservoir, including the disposal of produced water or acid gases;

(c) the disposal of petroleum, natural gas, water produced in relation to the production of petroleum or natural gas or waste.

[en. B.C. Reg. 198/2016, App. 1.]

Notice of intended disposal

10   A notice under section 71 (2) [disposal of Crown reserves by public auction or tender] of the Act must be published by posting the notice on a publicly accessible website maintained by or on behalf of the minister.

[en. B.C. Reg. 131/2018, Sch.]

Information sharing — prescribed enactments

11   For the purposes of section 122.1 (5) (j) of the Act, the following enactments are prescribed:

(a) the Business Number Act;

(b) section 8 of the Financial Administration Act.

[en. B.C. Reg. 121/2023, Sch. 8.]