REGULATORY INFORMATION
OGC Overview
Stakeholder Involvement
Crown Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure Process
Surface and Subsurface Rights
Land Use Planning
OGC Overview
Reporting to The Ministry of Energy, Mines and
Petroleum Resources,
the
Oil and Gas Commission (OGC) is
responsible for regulating British Columbia’s oil and gas sector. This
public agency has a legislated mandate to make decisions on
oil and gas applications that balance the broad environmental, economic
and social outcomes of oil and gas exploration and development. The OGC
also has a responsibility to consult with First Nations, strengthen
relationships with stakeholders and clients, ensure public safety and
protection of the environment, and streamline regulatory processes.
The Oil and Gas Commission (OGC) was
established under the
Oil and Gas Commission Act in July of
1998 as part of the provincial government’s Oil and Gas Initiative. This
independent public agency is fully financed by the oil and gas industry
through fees and levies.
For more information please visit the OGC
website:
http://www.ogc.gov.bc.ca/
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Stakeholder Involvement
Stakeholder input is essential in any
resource development activity. The oil and gas industry is required to
seek input from stakeholders affected by proposed oil and gas activity.
Stakeholder involvement:
-
Identifies parties who may be impacted
by or have an interest in the project, providing them with relevant
information and an opportunity to share their views;
-
Identifies concerns or issues that
might arise from the project so that they can be addressed in the planning
stage if possible;
-
Improves the use of community based and
scientific knowledge to reduce social or environmental impacts;
-
Creates opportunities to develop
company commitments in response to local input; and
Provides appropriate information to the OGC to enable a fair and balanced
decision.
For more information
please visit:
OGC Landowner Resources
Public Involvement Guideline (OGC)
Surface Rights in British Columbia: A Guide to the
Legislation and Regulations for the Oil and Gas Industry (OGC, July 10,
2001)
Seismic Operations and the Landowner
Well Sites and the LandownerThe
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Information for
Landowners
The
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Mediation and
Arbitration Board website
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Crown Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure Process
Tenure is time-limited ownership of a specific parcel of subsurface petroleum and natural gas
rights. Tenure confers the right to apply to the Oil and Gas Commission (OGC) to access, explore and develop the petroleum
and natural gas according to applicable statutory regulations.
Tenure is not required to drill test holes; however, industry must obtain permission from the OGC before drilling. In
order to produce coalbed gas (CBG), industry must acquire Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) tenure rights.
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources’ Titles Division is responsible for issuing and administering
provincially owned PNG rights. Tenure is sold monthly, based on requests from industry for specific parcels. Tenure is
typically awarded to the highest bidder; however, not every parcel offered is purchased. There may be no bids received
or the bids are deemed to be unacceptable, as they do not provide sufficient return to the province based on a
technical evaluation.
For more information please go to:
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Titles Division
Petroleum and Natural Gas Rights in British Columbia
Petroleum and Natural Gas Rights Information Letter
Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure Review Process
2006/2007 Petroleum and Natural Gas Rights Disposition Dates
(Disposition dates and information on the disposition of petroleum and natural gas rights.)
To subscribe to the Information Letters, Titles Division Sales Notices, and/or Titles Division
Sales Results email lists please visit the
Oil and Gas Titles Homepage.
Oil and Gas Legislation
and Related Regulations (Oil and Gas Commission)
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Surface and Subsurface Rights
The Province owns most petroleum and natural gas rights in
B.C. with a limited number privately
owned or held by the federal government. The Province did not include subsurface rights in most land grants issued after
1891. As a result, the surface owner of property rarely owns underlying petroleum and natural gas rights except in areas
of early settlement such a Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley.
Holders of subsurface petroleum and natural gas rights requiring access to the surface to
explore and develop the subsurface resources must negotiate a surface lease with the surface owner. If the parties are
unable to come to an agreement, the subsurface owner can apply to the Mediation and Arbitration Board under the
Petroleum and Natural Gas Act.
For more information on Surface and Subsurface Rights:
The Ministry of Energy, Mines
and Petroleum Resource's Guide to Surface and Subsurface Rights and
Responsibilities in B.C..
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources’ Information Letters
for Landowners
Seismic Operations and the Landowner (OGC)
(PDF 91KB)
Well Sites and the Landowner (OGC)
(PDF 78KB)
Consultation (OGC)
Public Involvement Guideline (OGC)
(MS Word 17 Pages)
Surface Rights in B.C: A guide to the legislation and regulations for the oil
and gas industry (OGC)
(PDF 381KB)
Role of the Mediation and Arbitration Board
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Land Use Planning
In the early 1990s, the Province of B.C. initiated a multi-stakeholder, strategic planning process
to resolve conflicts between different user groups. Strategic Land Use Planning has been undertaken at both regional and
sub-regional levels.
The
Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management (MSRM) is responsible for strategic land use
planning processes, in roles ranging from collection and compilation of resource information, to development of land use plans.
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
(MEMPR) and other agencies are responsible for implementing strategic land
use plans approved by Cabinet. MEMPR supports responsible stewardship of the province's energy resources in land use planning
and management initiatives by:
- ensuring that opportunities for environmentally responsible oil and gas/geothermal exploration and development are
recognized by provincial planning agencies; and
- providing resource potential and management information for First Nations treaty negotiations.
The Titles Division considers strategic land use plan objectives and
strategies in its approval process and in the operation of the
Oil and Gas Tenure Review Process.
As the provincial regulator, the Oil and Gas
Commission ensures that a company’s project development plans are consistent with the strategic directions set out in
Regional Land Use Plans and
Land and Resource Management Plans
the
Muskwa-Kechika Management Area,
and other special
management zones requiring pre-tenure planning.
For more
information on provincial strategic land use initiatives, planning
processes and policies:
The Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management,
Resource Management DivisionThe
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources
Oil and Gas Land Use
Information Letter:
Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure Review Process
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Last Updated
February 07, 2008
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