ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS

Keneco Environmental has been conducting Environmental Assessments for our clients throughout Western Canada for over 19 years. Our team of dedicated professionals can develop and implement comprehensive solutions that ensure compliance with client and regulatory requirements.

Keneco Environmental offers a full range of Environmental Assessments in the areas of:

Environmental Planning

The first step in obtaining a license, disposition, or right-of-way is to assess the physical environment in which the activity is to be placed. Environmental Planning, when completed first, prevents unnecessary spending due to re-surveying, field scouting, regulatory conflicts/non-compliance, and time delays.

• Keneco Environmental offers the following Environmental Planning services:

• Environmental Protection Plans.

• Conservation and Reclamation Plans.

• Native Consultation.

• Mitigation Plans (Caribou Protection Plans, wetlands, sensitive wildlife/habitat).

• Enhanced Approval Process (EAP).

• Environmental Screening Proposals (Special Areas, Indian Oil & Gas, Saskatchewan Crown Lands).

• Regulatory Compliance (Water Act Notification, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, AER Mitigation).

• Water Diversion Approvals & Water Crossing Notifications.

• Construction and reclamation project management and monitoring.

Wellsite and Pipeline Pre-Disturbance Assessment

Pre-Disturbance Assessments are completed prior to construction to determine baseline environmental conditions.
Advantages to completing a pre-disturbance assessment:

• Obtains a complex assessment of soil, vegetation and landscape conditions prior to disturbance.

• Identifies potential environmentally sensitive areas and determines proximity to water bodies.

• Ensures environmental regulatory compliance.

• Presents an illustrated layout of existing base line conditions for use during the restoration and reclamation process.

Environmental Due Diligence and Liability Assessments

Keneco conducts Environmental Due Diligence / Liability Assessments in accordance with principles and procedures detailed in CSA Standard Z768-94, Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment and also, where applicable, incorporates the requirements specified in Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) publication T/573: Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment Guideline for Upstream Oil and Gas Sites (as amended).

As certain client requirements and financial restrictions vary, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESA’s) are sometimes modified to cover client specific needs.

Environmental Due Diligence and Liability Assessments involve evaluating and reporting certain lands that an oil & gas company may be interested in acquiring. This will enable companies to make informed decisions regarding additional liability before the acquisition of the subject properties.

This process in Alberta involves:

• A review of well files associated with the location or site.

• A regulator release and complaint search (Spill Search).

• ESAR (Alberta Environment Site Assessment Repository) Search.

• An Environmental Enforcement Search (Alberta.)

• A Historical Aerial Photo Review.

• Interviews with Personnel (Landowners).

• A Field Visit or Site Inspection.

The final report details the scope of work and recaps the findings of the steps involved. It summarizes site specific environmental issues, provides a general statement regarding the subject properties, and also comments on limitations and exceptions encountered.

Waste Tracking and Manifesting

Keneco Environmental offers a fully integrated oilfield waste tracking system to ensure compliance with ERCB Directive 058 and other regulatory agencies.

Keneco’s Waste Tracking team provides the following services:

• Assist our clients in gathering required waste information.
• Provide training and assistance to all corporate levels to ensure that all required waste documentation is received with no waste tracking, handling and manifesting errors.
• Contact all waste receivers on an annual basis to ensure all required waste documentation is received and tracked.
• Ensure proper coding of all required wastes.
• Provide waste tracking reports when requested as well as provide annual waste tracking reports.
• Submission of the waste disposition reports to the AER through the DDS system.
• Retain all waste tracking documentation for a minimum two year period.

Wellsite Inspection and Site Assessment Reports (WISAR)

A WISAR Assessment provides pertinent data as to site conditions, and includes Surface Casing Vent Flow Testing (SCVF) and Gas Migration Testing (when applicable) as well as obtaining pressure readings from well tubing and casing. The data contained within Keneco’s WISAR reports are compiled from well records review and a site visit to the subject property and can be useful for both active and inactive wellsites.

A WISAR Assessment includes: 

• Suspended Well Compliance Inspections.

• Complete Gas Migration Testing and Surface Casing Vent Flow Testing.

• Stabilized Shut-In Pressure Testing for Casing, Tubing and Surface Casing vents.

• Obtain ERCB Well information and recent aerial photos in the initial desktop review.

• Conduct a reconnaissance visit to determine site access, conditions and facilities present and document with a sketch and photos.

• Ensure compliance with ERCB Directive 20: Well Abandonment.