Safety & Enforcement
When a Setback is a Good Thing
In oil and gas development, setbacks help to keep the public safe
When we think of setbacks, the first thing that comes to mind is a failure or reversal of fortune (e.g., “We suffered a serious setback that will delay the project for months.”). But in the energy… Read more
Detecting Earthquakes, Ice Quakes, and Everything…
AER’s extensive seismic monitoring system confirms “ice quake” west of…
In the late evening on January 1, residents of the village of Alberta Beach, about 70 kilometres west of Edmonton, may have felt some shaking that wasn’t the result of a New Year’s Eve party gone… Read more
Delving Into the Details
How one AER inspector gets to the nitty gritty of pipeline constructio…
Ask any field inspector what they like about their job and you’ll likely get a similar response: working with industry folks who just “get it.” This past fall, Phil Didow, an Alberta Energy Regulator… Read more
“A Witch’s Brew of Methane, Hydrogen Sulphide, and…
Alberta’s worst-ever well blowout was capped 35 years ago this week
On a chilly December 23, 1982, teams from Texas-based Boots… Read more
Modernizing a Moving Mountain’s Monitoring System
How the AGS went high-tech to upgrade Turtle Mountain’s early warning…
The mountain is moving. Likely a sentence you’d rather not hear, regardless of where you are in the world. But it’s a reality for residents of the Crowsnest Pass area in southwestern Alberta, where… Read more
A Sweet End for Sour Wells
South Calgary residents get a rare view of sour well abandonment
Calgary’s new communities in the south offer a lot to residents, including scenic vistas and a quick exit to the foothills and mountains. Now residents can add another item to the list: the rare… Read more
Through an Inspector’s Eyes
Like a detective, Jodie Fedorak pieces together clues at energy sites…
Jodie Fedorak has lost track of the number of oil and gas sites she’s visited in her five years as a field inspector with the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). From one corner of the province to… Read more
Practise makes perfect
Emergency response exercises make sure energy responders are ready for…
AER requires energy operators to practise responding to emergencies so that when an incident happens, they’re ready. “This is an exercise. Do you understand this is only an exercise?” The words were… Read more
Nexen Charged for Massive Spill
AER brings charges against Nexen for 2015 pipeline release
Charges have been laid against Nexen for one of Alberta’s largest pipeline spills, which released 5000 cubic metres of crude oil and produced water at its Long Lake site near Fort McMurray in July… Read more
Lessons The Beast Taught Us
The Fort McMurray wildfires proved that even a strong emergency respon…
The cozy smells of coffee, melted butter, and maple syrup from a Mother’s Day breakfast still wafted through the air when Colin Woods got the call. Without asking questions, the manager of the AER’s… Read more
