This unofficial consolidation of B.C. Statutes and Regulations is updated as new and amended laws come into force.
Click here for an interactive breakdown of what the BC Energy Regulator regulates. You can access any of the Acts and Regulations listed there and below from the BC Laws website.
Please Note: This information is provided here for convenience, but it remains the responsibility of operators to check the rules and laws that apply to them. Check the BC Regulations Bulletins for non-consolidated amendments to these regulations that may be in effect.
Energy Resource Activities Act (ERAA)
The Energy Resource Activities Act regulates energy resources and related activities in B.C., including wells, facilities, oil refineries, natural gas processing plants, pipelines and energy resources roads, through permits, authorizations, orders and regulations.
Bill 37, 2022 Energy Resource Activities Act
- Orders in Council 101-2023: Established the British Columbia Energy Regulator, formerly known as the BC Oil and Gas Commission, with a modernized and inclusive board structure.
- Orders in Council 464-2023: Effective Sept. 1, 2023, amended the name of the Oil and Gas Activities Act to the Energy Resource Activities Act and expanded responsibilities to include the manufacture of hydrogen, ammonia and methanol.
Bill 23, 2015: Changes to Oil and Gas Activities
- Section 51 clarifies that neither the Burnaby Refinery nor the Prince George refinery are considered oil and gas activities until and unless a regulation of the Lieutenant Governor in Council changes this fact.
- Sets out the principles by which allocation would be considered for disturbance cap.
- Outlines requirements for consultation and engagement with land owners and rights holders on permit application and amendment. Link to guidance.
- Prohibits the issuance of a permit to convert a LNG facility pipeline into an oil or diluted bitumen pipeline.
- Outlines requirements for companies to undertake in respect of wells, facilities and pipelines that have not been active for an extended period of time.
- Governs wells and facilities from permitting through to abandonment.
- For wells, this includes drilling, completion, production and abandonment.
- For facilities, this includes construction, operation, maintenance and abandonment.
- Links to guidance available for wells, cores, hydraulic fracturing, storage reservoirs and oil and gas and water production.
- Regulates the planning for emergencies, with an all-hazards approach, and for the initiation of emergency response arising from oil and gas activity.
- Sets out government's environmental objectives for oil and gas activities to enable environmental protection during the lifecycle of an oil and gas activity. Links to EPM Guideline and other remediation, reclamation and restoration guidance.
- Regulates construction, maintenance, use and deactivation of energy resource roads.
- Lists the methane emission provisions for which an eligible individual may request an investigation.
- Regulates permit expiration, special projects, release of information, surveys, taxation, etc.
- The regulation takes a comprehensive approach to managing the complexities associated with processing plants, manufacturing plants and new petroleum refineries in British Columbia, and encompasses the entire project life of each facility.
- Regulates construction, maintenance, use and deactivation of pipelines.
- Regulates distances for working near and for crossing a pipeline and all associated costs.
- Requires permit holders to comply with CSA Standard Z246.1 and develop a Security Management Program to identify threats and risks on a continuing basis and manage them with appropriate mitigation and response measures.
- Sets out the methods of delivery for documents and notices.
- Oil and Gas Waste Regulation
- Regulates oil and gas waste permits, such as air emissions.
- Regulates oil and gas Master Licenses to Cut, cutting permits, and use of forestry roads.
- Regulates cultural and heritage (archaeology and fossil) sites in B.C.
- Regulates Crown land licences of occupation, statutory right of ways and rents.
- Regulates water use.
- Agreement with the BC Energy Regulator granting powers to the BCER to decide on applications for permission for non-farm use of identified ALR lands for oil and gas activities and ancillary activities.
- Regulates B.C. environmental assessment processes for reviewable projects.
- Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia (the Code).
- Regulates Mines Act permits for oil and gas aggregate extraction.
- Petroleum and Natural Gas General Regulation
- Regulates subsurface tenures and royalties for oil and gas.
- Surface Lease Regulation
- Sets out terms and conditions of surface leases on private land.
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Storage Reservoir Regulation
- Regulates the safe and effective use of storage reservoirs.
Provides a consistent framework for governance of self-regulated professions, and to ensure those professions are regulated to protect the public interest.
Regulates water use, wells, dams, ground water protection, crossings and works in and about a stream that are not regulated by OGAA.
- Geothermal Geophysical Exploration Regulation
- Geothermal Operations Regulation
- Geothermal Resources General Regulation
- Regulates development and use of geothermal resources 80 degrees Celsius and above. More information.
- Regulates Canadian environmental assessment processes for reviewable projects.
- Port of Prince Rupert Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities Regulations
- Includes application of certain aspects of OGAA and its regulations to the Prince Rupert Port Authority lands for liquefied natural gas-related development.
- Haisla Nation Liquefied Natural Gas Facility Regulation
- Includes application of certain aspects of OGAA and its regulations to Haisla lands for oil and gas development.
- Regulates and approves cross-border pipelines.
Canadians now have free, online access to important technical standards meant to keep pipelines safe. The BC Energy Regulator is part of a group of energy regulators in western Canada that worked on the initiative, providing free access to several CSA safety standards, including CSA Z662, the main safety standard for designing, building and operating pipelines in Canada.