DATE ISSUED: Feb. 8, 2024

EFFECTIVE DATE: IMMEDIATELY

The Dormancy and Shutdown Regulation (DSR) was amended in January 2023 to include closure timelines for pipelines and certain facility infrastructure. These closure timelines came into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and the first Annual Work Plan submissions for pipelines and facilities were due by Jan. 30, 2024.

All permit holders who have dormant wells, pipelines, and/or facilities in B.C. are required to submit an Annual Work Plan outlining any decommissioning, assessment, and restoration work to be completed each calendar year at their dormant sites. Annual Work Plans are required even when a permit holder has no closure work planned at their dormant sites. Dormant well, pipeline and facility Annual Work Plan submissions are made separately, via the online eSubmission platform.

To verify if your company holds dormant infrastructure, visit the BCER’s data centre and review the Dormant Wellsite Report, the Dormant Pipeline Report and the Dormant Facility Report.

Note pipelines with a status of “abandoned” and facilities with a status of “removed” likely meet the definition of decommissioned as per section 6 of the DSR; however, permit holders must demonstrate assessment and restoration obligations are met at this infrastructure (as per sections 7, 8, and 9 of the DSR).

For further guidance, refer to the Dormant Sites Program Manual and the Site Remediation and Reclamation Manual.

If you have any questions regarding this Technical Update or the DSR in general, please contact:

Matt Edgar
Manager, Closure
Matt.Edgar@bc-er.ca
250-980-6075

Kristen Beattie
Closure Analyst
Kristen.Beattie@bc-er.ca
250-638-6405