This land is their land : Audit of the regulation of the oil and gas industry in British Columbia

The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the individuals and foundations listed above. [...] Data: OGC 10 SIERRA LEGAL DEFENCE FUND Number of wells History of oil and gas Overview of the development in BC regulatory system BC oil and gas production is focused in the Northeast MEM has primary responsibility for the development of the province, in a 194,000 square kilometre area and management of BC’s terrestrial oil and gas re- stretching from the northern foothills of the Rocky serves. [...] Rising natural gas prices in The Oil and Gas Commission Act, 1998, establishes the late 1990’s further fuelled activity, leading to the the OGC and authorizes it to issue the permits and current skyrocketing rates of investment, exploration approvals required for these ‘upstream’ oil and gas and drilling6. [...] A A detailed review of the stages in the development and fluid called drilling mud lubricates the bit and closure of a typical oil or gas well is beyond the scope removes rock cuttings, stabilizes the hole and of this Audit, and the following information is provid- controls the pressure in the well-bore. [...] To date the OGC has made limited any of the procedural safeguards of a true appeal proc- use of one-year general development plans that iden- ess, and leaves all the power back in the hands of the tify a company’s planned activities on a larger land- very body that made the original decision – the OGC.