Approvals may involve the approval of certain documents, plans or other matters as specified by regulatory requirements or the approval of specific activities conducted under an authorization. Approvals include:
- Development Plan Approval
- Approval of a Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Benefits Plan
- Approval of a Safety Plan
- Approval of a Training Plan
- Approval of an Environmental Protection Plan
- Approval of a Field Data Acquisition Program
- Approval of a Field Coring Program
- Approval of Gas Flaring
- Approval of Co-mingled Production
- Voidage Imbalance Approval
- Produced Water Injection Approval
- Production Testing Program Approval
- Flow System and Flow Calculation and Allocation Procedures Approval
- Air Gun Testing Approval
- Approval to Pre-drill a Well (to the conductor or surface casing point)
- Approval to Drill a Well
- Approval to Alter the Condition of a Well
- Approval of a Formation Flow Testing Program
To the greatest extent possible, approvals directly related to an Operations Authorization such as safety plans, training plans, environmental protection plans, field data acquisition programs (which include coring programs and production testing programs) and other related approvals can be dealt with in the context of the Operations Authorization. In such cases, these approvals would be issued concurrently with the issuance of the Operations Authorization.
An Approval to Drill a Well (ADW) or an Approval to Alter the Condition of a Well (ACW) is required for well operations involving drilling a well or that involves re-entering a well following completion of the scope of activities covered by the ADW, respectively. A wellsite seabed survey must be completed prior to the issuance of the ADW. Information regarding the process for obtaining approval of wellsite surveys is provided under the Geophysical Program Authorization.
Approval to Drill a Well (ADW)
The ADW covers operations on the well up to, and including, the termination of the well, which itself could include suspension, abandonment or completion. If the well is to be tested, Approval of a Formation Flow Test Program is required. Any operation following the termination of a well is covered by an Approval to Alter the Condition of a Well (ACW).
In the case of a new Operator or a new project, particularly for an exploration well, early consultation with Board staff is encouraged in the areas of well design, data acquisition and environmental protection to ensure that the Operator’s approach to these matters is consistent with regulatory requirements and expectations. In such cases, consultations may occur six months or more prior to the submission of the ADW. These consultations may be arranged by contacting the Board’s Policy and Regulatory Coordination Division.
The ADW Template prescribes the form of the application to the
C-NLOPB for Approval to Drill a Well. Any feedback regarding areas for improvement should be directed to information@cnlopb.nl.ca . All comments are welcome.
Issuance of the ADW
The ADW process is complete when the ADW is signed by the Chairman of the C-NLOPB and issued to the Operator.
The ADW form prescribes the generic format of the ADW issued by the C-NLOPB. This may vary somewhat in that the conditions to be placed on the ADW may vary from well to well.
In the event that it becomes necessary to deviate from the well data acquisition program described in and approved as part of the ADW, the Operator should submit an Operational Waiver/Deviation from an Approved Well Data Acquisition Program form for the approval of the Chief Conservation Officer.
Approval to Alter the Condition of a Well (ACW)
The ACW is required for any operation that involves re-entering a well following completion of the scope of activities covered by the ADW. An ACW is not required if the planned operation is covered by the Operations Authorization or is exempted pursuant to sub-section 10(2) of the Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Drilling and Production Regulations.
An ACW must be obtained from the C-NLOPB for:
- any well intervention on a subsea well unless such interventions were approved as part of the Operations Authorization;
- any operation that requires the removal of the Christmas tree or the tubing unless such operations were approved as part of the Operations Authorization (please note that an operation on a completed well that requires removal of the Christmas tree or the tubing is defined as a “workover” in the Regulations, for which a well approval is explicitly required);
- any operation involving the suspension or abandonment of a zone or well;
- any operation that alters the completion interval including:
- re-completing the well to another production or injection zone;
- squeezing perforations;
- hydraulic fracturing operations; or
- any other alteration to the completion interval that has the potential to adversely affect the recovery of petroleum/oil and gas.
The ACW Template prescribes the form of the application to the C-NLOPB for Approval for a Well Operation.
Any feedback regarding areas for improvement should be directed to information@cnlopb.nl.ca . All comments are welcome.
Issuance of the ACW
The ACW process is complete when the ACW is signed by the Chairman of the C-NLOPB and issued to the Operator.
The ACW form prescribes the generic format of the ACW issued by the C-NLOPB. This may vary somewhat in that the conditions to be placed on the ACW may vary from well to well.
A Notification to Abandon/Suspend or a Notification to Complete is required to be provided to the Board prior to suspending, abandoning or completing any well drilled pursuant to an ADW.
It is expected that the operator will provide a general overview of the well termination program in the ADW application. Once drilling of the well is complete, or near complete, but no later then five days prior to commencement of the well termination program, either a Notification to Suspend / Abandon or a Notification to Complete must be submitted to the Board.
Prior to terminating any well, the Operator must satisfactorily complete the well evaluation program outlined in the ADW and must submit for review the appropriate logs needed by Board staff to review the well termination.
Thirty days following the completion of the well termination program the operator must re-submit the Notification to Suspend / Abandon or the Notification to Complete highlighting any differences between the original submission and the actual operation.
Approval of a Formation Flow Testing Program
Approval of a Formation Flow Testing Program is required in accordance with section 52 of the Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Drilling and Production Regulations. The approval process for this matter is under review by Board staff with a view to standardizing it in due course.
In the meantime, the Operator’s proposed well testing program should be submitted to the Board’s Manager of Operations and Safety for approval. The program should comply with the relevant provisions of the Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Drilling and Production Regulations. Particular scrutiny will need to be paid to safety and environmental protection matters. Operators should also refer to the Resource Management section for information respecting the data acquisition and reporting requirements pertaining to formation flow testing programs.