Orphan Well Inventory
Where an operator of a well or oil and gas facility fails to comply with a shut down order, the minister may by order, on the expiration of the time specified in the shut down order, authorize the director, after the director gives notice of not less than 30 days to the operator, to seize and take over the management and control of the well or oil and gas facility for such period of time, and to take such steps and employ such person and equipment, as the director considers necessary or advisable for one or more of the following purposes:
- To carry out the remedial measures set out in the shut down notice;
- To dispose of oil and gas from the well or oil and gas facility
- To cause the well or oil and gas facility to be sold, in accordance with the regulations;
- To repair, partially plug, or abandon a well;
- To sell the equipment used to operate the well or oil and gas facility;
- To clean up and rehabilitate the site of the well or oil and gas facility and any other land or ground water contaminated by activities related to the well or oil and gas facility, and take action in respect of any spill.
Where the director is unable to locate a licensee or is satisfied that a corporation that is a licensee is dissolved, the director may, after receiving the prescribed fee and any prescribed performance security, transfer the well license to a person who holds the surface rights for the site of the well, and the oil and gas rights in the spacing unit in which the well is located.
For more information on transferring seized well licenses, please contact Landon Fraser at 204-851-5715 or by e-mail at landon.fraser@gov.mb.ca.
