DECOMMISSIONING AND RECLAMATION
When an asset reaches its end of life, we begin our decommission and reclamation process according to our standard procedures and regulatory requirements. Decommissioning begins by abandoning the wellbore and removing equipment on the site. Site closure includes reviewing the site’s operational history, identifying and addressing any potential concerns, wastes or hazardous materials and reclaiming disturbed land to productive and sustainable uses.
We take a collaborative approach to remediate and reclaim the land disturbed by our operations to make sure our remediation plan aligns with landowner/stakeholder expectations for future use. Where possible in our operating areas, we have developed joint venture and Indigenous partnerships in our site closures.
Decommissioning (also known as abandonment): The process of completing abandonment work on a once active well so that it can be left in a safe and compliant state and will not cause harm to any environmental or human surroundings. This process also includes removal of any equipment on site that was used to produce oil and natural gas products from the well.
Reclamation: The process of restoring the surface area of a wellsite, access road or facility.
In 2023, Ovintiv reclaimed approximately 376 acres of land across our operating areas, which is equivalent to 284 football fields.
Utilizing Ecological Practices
A critical part of oil and natural gas development is remediating and reclaiming the temporary disturbances such as pipeline rights-of-way, pad sites and other ancillary sites that occur in the normal course of drilling, completing and producing wells. On provincial land in British Columbia, we are shifting away from agriculture-based restoration to ecological-based restoration in ecologically sensitive areas.
This means maintaining coarse woody debris, active reforestation and limited seeding of crop species in order to encourage the return of native species and forest-like conditions. These practices better align the restoration with Indigenous community needs and interests as well as stakeholder and community expectations of wildlife and habitat restoration and the protection of sensitive areas.
