LATEST NEWS
December 30, 2009
CNSOPB Issues Draft Guidelines for New Drilling and Production Regulations
Effective December 31, 2009, the federal and provincial governments will adopt new Drilling and Production Regulations and the CNSOPB is issuing draft guidelines to complement the new regulations.
Background information on the initiative to modernize the Drilling and Production Regulations is provided in the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS) on the Canada Gazette website at http://www.gazette.gc.ca (p. 2337)
Comments can be directed to:
Michael Hnetka
Advisor, Regulations
Frontier Lands Management
Natural Resources Canada
580 Booth Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0E4
Telephone (613) 992-2916
Facsimile (613) 943-2274
mhnetka@nrcan.gc.ca
The new regulations are goal-oriented in approach and include both prescriptive and goal or performance based elements. Their principal focus is on assuring that industry maintains high standards in respect of safety, resource conservation and environmental protection while at the same time providing for technological innovation in the areas of drilling and production.
A key element of this style of regulations is the need to have comprehensive guidelines to aid in understanding the regulatory requirements. In that regard, the CNSOPB is issuing the following draft guidelines for the purposes of stakeholder consultation, and for reference by interested parties to assist in the transition to the new goal oriented regime:
These guidelines will be revised as necessary during this one year consultation time period based on feedback and experience gained. Written comments may be directed to doc_ctrl@cnsopb.ns.ca.
Authorizations and approvals issued by the CNSOPB under the previous regulations will remain in effect in respect of ongoing drilling and production activities in the Nova Scotia offshore area. When these expire, they will be renewed in accordance with the new regulations.
About the Board
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board is the independent joint agency of the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia responsible for the regulation of petroleum activities and resources offshore Nova Scotia.
For further information, please contact:
Debbie Mountenay
Manager, Administration & Industrial Benefits
Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
(902) 496-0743, Email: dmountenay@cnsopb.ns.ca
