Take an Orphan License
Although the OWA closes orphan wells, facilities and pipelines, licenses stay in the name of the defunct licensee. This means the OWA does not have the ability to sell or transfer orphan assets. If an operator wants to take an orphan asset, they must apply to the AER to transfer the license in a process called a Regulator Directed Transfer or RDT.
WIC Types and Eligibility
Initiating an RDT
Email the OWA at RDT@orphanwell.ca with the licenses you wish to acquire. The OWA will then notify the AER and place our planned closure work on hold for up to six months while the RDT application process is underway. If the RDT application has not been submitted in six months, the license(s) will be returned to the decommissioning queue without further notice to the applicant.
The AER will follow up with the applicant with the required RDT application documents.
The AER License Details Report includes site-specific technical details about eligible wells. There are multiple events for individual wells in order to report production and, therefore, there are more entries than the number of wells. This list does not necessarily reflect the current inventory of orphan wells held by the OWA, and users are responsible for confirming any information used. For specific site details about eligible wells, see the AER License Details Report. For any further inquiries about the information in this report, contact the AER at liabilitymanagement@aer.ca.
There are no sales at this time.
What is an RDT?
An RDT is a Regulator Directed Transfer. It happens when the Alberta Energy AER transfers a license from a defunct licensee to an eligible licensee.
Can I review all the files associated with a site?
In some cases, but not all, the OWA has files with technical information that can be shared. Under no circumstance will the OWA share information with an applicant related to the surface owner, such as the previous surface lease.
Please contact info@orphanwell.ca to determine what files the OWA has available
Are the mineral and surface leases attached to an orphan asset/license?
No, mineral and surface leases associated with the license are not transferred to the OWA. Proponents must obtain both a mineral and surface lease prior to any RDT application.
Is there a fee attached to RDT?
There is an RDT fee of up to $10,000 for each well that the AER may apply at its discretion. One factor in determining this fee is the OWA’s incurred costs on the asset before the RDT application was made.