The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) was an independent, quasi-judicial agency of the Government of Alberta. It regulated the safe, responsible, and efficient development of Alberta's energy resources: oil, natural gas, oil sands, coal, and pipelines. Led by eight Board members, the ERCB's team of engineers, geologists, technicians, economists, and other professionals served Albertans from thirteen locations across the province.
The ERCB's mission was to ensure that the discovery, development, and delivery of Alberta's energy resources took place in a manner that was fair, responsible and in the public interest.
The ERCB adjudicated and regulated matters related to energy within Alberta to ensure that the development, transportation, and monitoring of the province's energy resources were in the public interest. The Board provided this assurance of the public interest through its activities in the application and hearing process, regulation, monitoring, and surveillance and enforcement.
The information and knowledge responsibility of the Board included the collection, storage, analysis, appraisal, dissemination and stakeholder awareness of information. Open access to information developed awareness, understanding and responsible behavior and allowed the Board and stakeholders to make informed decisions about energy and utility matters. This responsibility would result in the Board discharging its advisory role with respect to matters under the jurisdiction of the Board.
The Government of Alberta owns about 80% of the province's mineral rights, such as oil, natural gas, coal, and the oil sands. In other words, most resources are owned by the people of Alberta through their government. While private companies can develop these resources, the ERCB was authorized by the government to protect the public's interest relating to the discovery, development, and delivery of these resources. Regulation was needed so that non-renewable resources were produced in a safe, responsible, and efficient manner, without waste.
The ERCB also ensured that everyone affected by development had a chance to be heard. When conflicts regarding development remained unresolved between companies and landowners, the ERCB worked to settle the issues in a fair and balanced manner.
In 1996, the Alberta Geological Survey (AGS) joined the ERCB. AGS assisted the ERCB by providing data, information, knowledge and advice about the geology of Alberta.
History
Alberta's first energy regulatory body was created in 1938. A succession of agencies led to the new ERCB being established 1 January 2008, as a result of the realignment of the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) into the ERCB and the Alberta Utilities Commission. The ERCB also includes the Alberta Geological Survey.
In October 2008, ERCB was named one of Alberta's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal.
Alberta Energy Regulator
Alberta Energy Regulator is a corporation created by the Responsible Energy Development Act passed on 10 December 2012 and proclaimed on 17 June 2013, in the Alberta Legislature, operating at arm's length from the Government of Alberta, under an appointed board of directors headed by Chair, Gerry Protti and CEO Jim Ellis, appointed by Energy Minister Ken Hughes. On 17 June 2013, all regulatory functions previously carried out by the Energy Resources Conservation Board were taken over by the Alberta Energy Regulator.
Alberta Energy Regulator is "100 per cent funded by industry and is authorized to collect funds through an administrative fee levied on oil and gas wells, oil sands mines, and coal mines. The industry-funded model is commonly used by regulatory agencies from various sectors across North America." AER has "an annual budget of more than $165 million, more than "1000 staff working in 13 locations across Alberta." Alberta Energy Regulator "regulates approximately - 181,000 active wells, 27,800 oil facilities and 20,000 gas facilities, and 405,000 kilometres (km) of pipelines." AER also "considers some 36 800 applications for energy development every year."