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Insights

10+ years of regulatory updates, compliance insights, and technical guidance for Western Canadian oil and gas operators.

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TOPIC

Disposal Wells

Applications, pressure testing, monitoring and ongoing obligations.

MWHIP

Step rate testing, fracture pressure analysis and maximum wellhead injection pressure determination.

CCUS

Carbon sequestration tenure, CO₂ storage approvals and long-term containment guidance.

H2S Release Rate

H₂S release rate assessments, EPZ calculations and well classification requirements.

EOR

Waterflood, gas injection and enhanced recovery scheme applications and reservoir management.

D051

Well classification, integrity, logging, testing and injection well compliance requirements.

Off-Target Wells

Well spacing, target areas, off-target penalties and road allowance requirements.

Latest Insights

Stay informed with the latest regulatory updates, bulletins and technical insights.

Aug 31, 2026

D051

Directive 051 Finalized, Closure Quota and 2027 Royalty Updates

This September update covers finalized Directive 051 disposal-well requirements, practical Directive 020 abandonment changes, the 2027 closure quota, new caribou-range Crown tenure conditions, and Alberta’s transition to the Modernized Royalty Framework.

Open Insight

Jul 14, 2026

AER Updates

Revenue Payment Changes, Inspection Manual Rescissions and Directive 077 Updates

This July 2026 newsletter covers upcoming Alberta Energy and Minerals revenue-payment changes, the AER rescission of inspection Manuals 001, 002, and 005, and updates to Directive 077 pipeline testing and operating requirements. It is a useful compliance update for operators managing payments, inspection obligations, and pipeline activities.

Open Insight

Jun 28, 2026

EOR

Enhanced Oil Recovery

An introduction to enhanced oil recovery approvals, planning and regulatory requirements.

Open Insight

From the Benoit Archive

Insights from Decades of Regulatory Experience

Each Regulatory Intelligence Insight uses AI-assisted analysis to identify practical lessons from historical regulatory records, connecting those lessons to current regulatory guidance.

RI-001

Is well classification determined solely by gas-oil ratio (GOR)?

No. Historical regulatory records consistently demonstrate that well classification involved considerably more than a single GOR calculation.

Open Insight

RI-002

Can a gas well produce oil and still remain classified as a gas well?

Yes. Produced fluids and regulatory well classification are related, but they are not always the same thing.

Open Insight

RI-003

Can historical well classifications be evaluated using today's rules?

Not without context. Legacy classifications should be reviewed against the regulatory framework that existed when the decision was made.

Open Insight
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