Community Involvement Requirements for the Albertan Upstream Petroleum Industry

摘要

Alberta is a major supplier of natural gas to the North American market and approximately one-third of Alberta's natural gas production is sour. Sour gas is natural gas that contains hydrogen sulphide (H_2S), a colourless flammable compound that has a distinctive "rotten egg" smell Gas containing H_2S is extremely poisonous to animals and humans in relatively low concentrations. Once extracted from the ground, the gas is 'sweetened' by removing the H2S and is then used to heat homes and to generate electricity. To ensure this important resource is produced in a safe and responsible manner, the Alberta Energy and Utility Board (EUB) enforces stringent regulatory requirements. A fundamental principle behind these requirements is that Albertans have the right to be involved in sour gas developments that could directly and adversely impact them and the communities in which they live. Despite the fact that Alberta has produced sour gas safely for many years, the increasing demand for natural gas and the increasing population means that more and more people are being presented with sour gas developments in and around their communities. To address Albertan's concerns about public safety and sour gas, the EUB embarked on a major multi-year project to improve the existing regulatory framework. These far reaching changes included new requirements for "participant involvement". Participant involvement is an umbrella term encompassing all aspects of public, industry, and regulator interactions and communications. While the three main participant groups in energy development are industry, the public, and the EUB, it is universally recognized that other groups also have a stake in energy development. This paper presents an overview of the public safety and sour gas initiative, and the resulting participant involvement requirements. Although specific to one hazard, the EUB approach to community involvement is universal and can be applied to other hazards and other disciplines beyond the oil patch.