1 Partners Symposium Edmonton, Alberta Terry Peck Emergency Response Coordinator February 2009

2 Objectives and Scope  Provide Overview of ERCB Mandate  Discuss Mitigation and Preparedness  ERCB Emergency Activation Process  ERCB Emergency Response Process  What are ERCB Deployable Resources  Discuss Criteria for Re-Deployment

3 ERCB Mandate Starts w/Legislation  Coal Conservation Act  Energy Resources Conservation Act  Gas Resources Preservation Act  Oil and Gas Conservation Act  Oil Sands Conservation Act  Pipeline Act

4 ERCB Regulates  159,500 operating natural gas and oil wells  33,700 oil and gas batteries, plants & facilities 92,000 km of pipelines  12 producing coal mines  38 commercial oil sands plants

5 Petroleum Industry Incident Support Plan Otherwise known as PIISP (no I’m not swearing at you!)  Alberta Government plan administered by AEMA  Developed for response to significant oil & gas emergencies  Identifies ERCB as the “lead agency”  Clarifies “supporting agency” roles  Joint multi-agency exercise held every 4 years  Last activated during the Pembina Pipeline incident on the Red Deer River in June 2008

6 Mitigation & Preparedness EEmergency Planning & Assessment (EPA) is Responsible for administering Directive 071 Requirements : oPoPre-Approval Audit (ERP Application Process) oPoPost-Approval Audit oEoEmergency Response Assessment oEoEnforcement TTechnical Support oHoHearings (advising panel and decision report) oSoStakeholder (RHA/Industry/Public etc)

7 Public Safety Management System INVESTIGATION Follow-up Lessons learned VIGILENCE Surveillance Compliance Enforcement EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Emergency Planning, Preparedness, and Response Response Capability PREVENTION Standards Training CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Risk Reduction Hazard Mitigation

8 ERCB Emergency Activation Process DDuring normal working hours calls from the public/industry usually come directly into the Field Centre AAfter hours/weekend calls come through the CIC and are then directed back to the Field Centre 24/7 On-call Person EEmergencies that are Level 1 or greater require the Field Centre to engage the Emergency Response Group (ERG) SSome Level 1’s, all Level 2 and Level 3 emergencies will activate the Field Incident Response Support Team (FIRST) LLevel 2 and Level 3 may require a GEOC activation

9 ERCB Emergency Response Process  The Field Centre (9 throughout the Province) is responsible for providing a physical response to an emergency 24 X days/year  Level 1 and above will engage the ERG, which will provide ERCB expertise from within the department and will provide situational awareness to our external partners  For complex Level 1, and Level 2/3, FIRST will engage and Support in the areas of air monitoring, ICS, media relations, safety, and investigation.  If the GEOC is activated, the CMO will play a lead role

10 Deployable Resources  The greatest asset the ERCB has are “our people”. Due to the close working relationship our Field Centre staff have with the oil & gas industry, when an emergency happens, the Field Centre will likely know the company and potential hazards associated with the site.  Field Centre staff trained to ICS 200 and equipped with Personal Protective Equipment  Subject matter experts throughout the department that can be called on to assist in an emergency.  Very good air monitoring program with deployable units and knowledgeable and experienced technicians to operate them. Work closely with our ER Partners to ensure situational awareness. Presently developing an air monitoring protocol with AENV, Health, and Industry.

11 Criteria for Re-Deployment  As per PIISP, the ERCB is the “lead agency” on upstream oil & gas emergencies and will remain so until the release is under control and the free liquid has been removed.  Once the “lead agency” changes hands, i.e. environmental issues are the main focus, ERCB will stay engaged as a “supporting agency” until there is agreement by partner agencies that no further involvement by ERCB is necessary.  Investigation activity will likely continue well beyond the emergency response phase

12 Questions?