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By The Canadian Press

Alberta

Critics going after energy minister’s stance on abandoned wells

Sep 17, 2024 | 6:33 PM

Critics say Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean’s suggestions on how the province might clean up its thousands of abandoned oil wells favour industry and lack input from the public.

Jean’s department is opening consultations on how to deal with Alberta’s nearly half-million oil and gas wells, two-thirds of which are not producing.

In an interview, Jean suggested some form of public assistance may be needed to clean up the mess despite industry’s legal obligations.

He also suggested municipalities may have to take a haircut on their tax levies and that industry’s regulatory burden may need to be lightened.

But University of Calgary resource law professor Martin Olszynski says many energy companies are thriving and an industry-wide bailout would raise serious questions.

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Katie Morrison of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society says using public resources on the problem doesn’t address how it came to be in the first place.

Rural Municipalities of Alberta president Paul McLauchlin says municipal taxes are well down the list of a well owner’s expenses and that 94 per cent of companies pay their taxes just fine.

Both Olszynski and Morrison say the public should have a role in Jean’s consultations.

The minister says those talks are expected to begin this fall and he hopes to table legislation in about a year.

(The Canadian Press)