Oil and Gas Development

In Alberta, it’s normal for property to carry two different titles and sets of rights.  The surface title gives the landowner the right to fully control the land’s surface, while the mineral title gives the right to the owner of the minerals under the land (usually an oil and gas company) to look for those minerals.  There may be a time where the mineral owner will need to access the surface of the land to drill and produce oil and gas.  If there is not currently oil and gas activity on the property you own or are thinking about purchasing, it’s extremely possible that it could happen in the future.  

If you have any questions regarding the mineral title and rights for a property, contact the local Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) for your area.  Parkland County is serviced by both the St. Albert Field Centre (any property North, West, and South of Spruce Grove) and the Drayton Valley Field Centre (any property West of Spruce Grove).  

Staff is available at both offices Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for inquiries, or 24-hours a day for emergencies. 

 Other inquiries regarding any of the above can be forwarded to Parkland County's Utilities Officer during regular office hours at 780-968-8445. After hours inquiries can be forwarded to the Emergency Control Centre 24 hour line at 780-968-8401.

Information for Oil and Gas Industry Operators

Parkland County has taken a more active role in oil and gas development including more involvement in the consultation process, particularly in relation to emergency response planning. For the most part, we have focused on drilling activity; however, as other projects move forward in more populated areas, it is important for Parkland County to have an opportunity to meet with the operator and learn about the project and any potential impacts.

Consultation with Parkland County

For new or expanding projects, where an operator is to consult with a local authority to fulfill requirements of ERCB Directives, Parkland County has identified the process as follows.

Proper consultation with Parkland County will consist of a meeting with Parkland County officials including the CAO, General Manager of Community Services, General Manager of Infrastructure Services, Manager of Public Works, Manager of Community and Protective Services, Fire Chief, Oil and Gas Liaison Officer, and other staff or designates as required.

The operator will provide a clearly-defined meeting agenda that indentifies the purpose of the meeting and the expected outcomes from the meeting, as well as information regarding the project including, but not limited to:

• H2S concentrations and release rates (where applicable)
• ERCB category of project
• Proximity to the boundaries of populated areas
• Proximity to public facilities (including schools, seniors facilities, recreational facilities, etc.)
• Proximity to emergency services (fire halls, hospitals)
• Size of the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ)
• Information used to calculate the EPZ including version of ERCB Directive 71
• Number of residents in each the EPZ and EAZ
• Potential pipeline routes

Parkland County also understands that some wells may be covered by a Corporate Emergency Response Plan. It is still critical that Parkland County be contacted and consulted with to ensure accurate and up-to-date contact information and procedures are included in the Corporate ERP to ensure a coordinated response should an incident occur.

Parkland County wishes to be consulted with for all projects within our municipality. We support oil and gas development in our community and look forward to building an open and communicative relationship with all the operators working in Parkland County.

For more information, contact Deputy Fire Chief Amber Coleman, Oil and Gas Liaison Officer.