Reminder: Directive 040 pressure requirements and Packer Isolation Test 

Directive 040 Section 2.2.3 requires that annual pressure and testing surveys be completed by December 31, 2025 and submitted by March 31, 2026. 

Failure to obtain and submit the required pressures and, in some instances, fluid analysis, will result in a $1000 administrative penalty (fine) plus you will still have to obtain and submit the test data to fulfil the 2025 requirement. Contact us if you require assistance requesting a waiver.

The list of wells and projects requiring annual testing can be found HERE

Directive 087: Well Integrity Management Section 2 Table 1 requires that packer isolation tests results must be conducted and reported on qualifying wells by the end of December 31, 2025. 

AB: New Edition of Directive 059 and Manual 027

On August 11, 2025, the AER released a new edition of Directive 059: Well Drilling and Completion Data Filing Requirements and Manual 027: Well Drilling and Completion Data Submission System Guidance. The revisions permit the reporting of AER-approved alternative material listed in Appendix 2 of Directive 020: Well Abandonment when used for capping a permanent bridge plug or permanent packer with a permanent plug during routine non-level-A zonal abandonments.



Additional information can be found in Bulletin 2025-25

AB: New Edition of Directive 008

On August 12, 2025, the AER released a new edition of Directive 008: Surface Casing Depth Requirements. This directive now applies to brine-hosted mineral resource development, with references to the BMR and other relevant materials updated accordingly.

AB: New Edition of Directive 087

On August 12, 2025, the AER released a new edition of Directive 087: Well Integrity Management. This directive now applies to geothermal and brine-hosted mineral resource development, with references to the applicable legislation added.

AB: New Edition of Directive 011

On August 19, 2025, the AER released a new edition of Directive 011: Estimated Liability.

The following administrative changes have been made to the well abandonment cost parameters in section 5.1.1 of the directive:

• Enabled exceptions for when no additional well event sequence costs will be applied.
• Clarified when the base of groundwater protection liability is applied, and that licensees can submit missing primary cementing information to the AER.

Additional information can be found in Bulletin 2025-26

AB: Industry-Wide Closure Spend Requirements for 2026

On August 25, 2025, the AER set the 2026 industry-wide closure spend requirement at $750 million. The following important changes will be implemented in the 2026 requirement:

1.  Starting in the 2026 closure spend year each licensee will be assigned its proportionate share of the industry-wide closure spend requirement. Manual 023: Licensee Life-Cycle Management has been updated to reflect this change.

2.    Certain Licensees meeting all of the AER’s criteria, as of September 2, 2025, will be exempt from the 2026 mandatory spend requirement.

This exemption is an exceptional circumstance resulting from continued low natural gas prices. The AER will directly contact all micro and junior dry gas producers that qualify for this exemption. 

3.    The AER will allow licensees who exceed their minimum mandatory spend by 20% to “bank” this exceedance between 2025 and 2027.

4.    Licensees with inactive liability as of September 2, 2025, will receive their licensee-specific mandatory closure spend for 2026. Later in September, licensees can access through OneStop their liability assessment report to understand the details of their mandatory spend.

Additional information can be found: Bulletin 2025-27

AB: Release of the Pilot or Field Trial Report

On September 4, 2025, the AER published the first report on pilot projects or field trials, which is available on the pilot reporting webpage. The report supports the recently released Manual 031: Guidelines for Pilot Applications for New Technology or Processes.

Additional information can be found: Bulletin 2025-28

AB: Release of the Alberta Capital Cost Index for 2026

On July 29, 2025, Alberta Energy announced the Alberta Capital Cost Index (ACCI) will be set at 0.87 and will be effective for all wells spudded on or after January 1, 2026.

The ACCI is used to calibrate the Modernized Royalty Framework (MRF) formulas that calculate conventional oil and natural gas royalty rates.



Additional information can be found: Information Bulletin 2025-29

AB: Term Extensions for Eligible Petroleum and Natural Gas Agreements

Effective August 1, 2025, Alberta Energy accepts applications for a one-time, one-year term extension under section 8(1)(h) of the Mines and Minerals Act, for petroleum and natural gas (PNG) agreements held or developed by micro and junior producers, targeting shallow dry gas.

Eligibility and application requirements can be view in Information Letter 2025-30

BC: New Submission Type for Pipelines to Assist Permit Holders

Effective August 7, 2025, the BCER announced that Permit holders of pipelines located in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) that are subject to the Delegation Agreement between the BCER and the Provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) are required to conduct reclamation within 24 months of the date of pipeline installation. A Schedule B Report must also be submitted to the BCER within the timelines defined in the Delegation Agreement.

This new submission type allows permit holders to view Schedule B reports that are overdue and coming due within the next year.



The Submissions Due Report can be accessed here. Updated background and instructions documentation can be accessed here.

Additional information can be found: TU 2025-13

BC: Updates to Environmental Protection and Management Guideline (EPMG) for High Priority Wildlife

As of September 5, 2025, to maintain alignment with current provincial guidelines, the BCER is updating its Environmental Protection and Management Guideline (EPMG) to consider all Red and Blue Listed species in the B.C. Conservation Data Centre as High Priority Wildlife for the purposes of section 6(b) of the Environmental Protection and Management Regulation (EPMR).

Additional information can be found: TU 2025-14