Technology
Getting Down and Dirty for Research
AER staff slog in the muck to collect samples for study
Sometimes it’s a dirty job. Last fall, the AER and Alberta Health kicked off a study to discover what substances are present during the “flowback” phase of hydraulic fracturing operations and whether… Read more
Building it Old School: Alberta’s First Pipeline
In April 1912, construction began on the Bow Island
Today, Alberta’s oil and gas pipelines stretch over 422 000 kilometres across the province, but this wasn’t always the case. Over a century ago, Alberta’s first natural gas pipeline broke ground at… Read more
Super-Powered Backpack
Gas measuring device plays a critical role when responding to emergencies
Making the invisible visible doesn’t take superpowers. It takes the right technology. The AER uses an air-quality measuring device known as an infrared spectrometer to detect “fugitive emissions”—gas… Read more
All’s Well That Ends Well
Orphaned, abandoned, reclaimed: understanding how wells are classed
Albertans began prospecting for “black gold” more than a century ago. Years and years of drilling for oil and natural gas has resulted in more than just wealth for the province—it’s resulted in… Read more
Walking the Walk, Talking the Talk
For the uninitiated, visiting a drilling rig is a learning experience
I’m from corporate. I work in the shiny head office in the shiny city of Calgary. But for three days, I traded in the business attire for the grey coveralls worn by the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (… Read more
Anatomy of a Blowout
A glance at the heart of an operation, and how AER keeps its finger on the pulse
Dissecting an oil and gas operation is no small undertaking. Wells reach deep into the earth to pull out oil and natural gas. Drilling and servicing operations have many moving parts and unique… Read more
Drilling Deeper
Five things to know about in situ oil sands development
Oil sands development conjures images of giant trucks and shovels toiling in massive, open-pit mines. The fact is, over half of the production from Alberta’s oil sands occurs through in situ… Read more
Let’s Talk Fracking
AER video explains how it’s done and how we ensure it’s safe
Hydraulic fracturing—commonly known as “fracking”—is in the news a lot. But you may be surprised to learn that it’s not that new. Hydraulic fracturing—a technique to break up the rocks deep inside… Read more
Seeing Infrared
FLIR cameras make invisible gas leaks visible
FLIR GasFindIR infrared cameras, which use thermal technology to trace and visualize volatile gases, have been used by the AER since 2007 to help detect oil and gas field fugitive emissions. FLIR… Read more
Elevating Geological Monitoring to New Heights
Elevating Geological Monitoring to New Heights
Living in Canada’s Rocky Mountains can be idyllic; on occasion, it can also prove perilous. The coal-mining town of Frank, in Alberta’s Crowsnest Pass, can attest to this. On April 29, 1903, it took… Read more
