Online Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Notification – User Guide
April 2018
Online Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Notification – User Guide [PDF 1523 KB]
Contents
Introduction
The Online Event Reporting System (OERS or ERS) enables companies to efficiently notify the National Energy Board (Board) of Operation and Maintenance (O&M) activities, when notification is required.
This guide provides step by step instructions that will help users access the ERS and create new O&M Notifications. For further information regarding O&M notification requirements, please consult the Operations and Maintenance Activities on Pipelines Regulated Under the National Energy Board Act: Requirements and Guidance Notes – O&M Guidelines. For additional information pertaining to the Board’s responsibilities as they relate to fish and fish habitat and navigation for notifications of O&M activities can be found, please consult the Additional Information Requirements Relating to Fish and Fish Habitat and Navigation for Notification of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Activities letter.
All sections with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory.
Contacts
If you have questions or issues regarding the online O&M Notification system or the OERS, contact:
National Energy Board
Operations Compliance Officer
dlerssupport@cer-rec.gc.ca
1-800-899-1265
If you have any technical issues with the ERS, you can also send an email to:
Getting Started
To file a new O&M Notification go to the “Welcome” page of the OERS by going to Event Reporting; click the <<Continue>> button at the bottom of this page.
Alternatively, a notification can be filed from the NEB Home Page following these steps:
- Regulatory Documents (bottom left side menu)
- Submit Applications and Regulatory Documents
- File under the NEB Act/OPR
- Information filings
- Notification of Operations and Maintenance
- Apply
Welcome
Contact
Every time you file a new O&M Notification, you will be asked to provide some pertinent information, including an email address, phone number and name. The email address will be used to allow the system to send you a link to access the full ERS portal. Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
Email Confirmation
A message with the link to the OERS portal will be sent to the email address that you provided. If the message does not appear in your Inbox, please check to see if it was automatically moved into your Junk E-Mail or another folder.
Click the link in the email confirmation to access the full OERS portal, where you will be asked to enter further information.
Event Types
This screen requires you to scroll to the Notification area at the bottom of the page and select “Operations and Maintenance.” Then click on <<Save and Next>>.
Company
The next screen asks about the company responsible for the O&M Activity. Select the company by using the drop-down list. Alternately, you can also start typing the name of the company in order to facilitate this process. If the company is not listed, select --Not Listed-- and enter the full legal name of the company.
Note: as you progress through the system, check marks on the left hand side of the screen indicate which screens have been populated and saved for the event being reported.
Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
Circumstances
The first two sections of the next screen require you to enter more information about the activity. You are required to enter a complete description of the activity as well as a rationale.
In order to keep any information that has been entered, click <<Save>> at the bottom of the page.
Once complete, continue to scroll down the “Circumstances” page.
The next section lists six circumstances for which the Board requires notification. Select all circumstances (i.e. the reason for notifying the Board of the activity) that apply to the notification. You must select at least one.
The Circumstances page also requires you to provide a summary of overview of Third Party Consultation and details of manuals that will be applicable to the activity. Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
Circumstances (continued)
Unresolved Third Party Concerns
If you select the first circumstance, Unresolved Third Party Concerns, the text box modifies slightly to require complete record or table of consultation.
Circumstances (continued)
New Land
If you select the second circumstance “New land is required” a new section, is activated.
A new item will appear on the left side menu, which will be completed after the “Location” section.
Circumstances (continued)
Near Residence
If you select the third circumstance, Exposure of pipe surface near a residence or where people routinely congregate, a new section, Pipe Surface Exposure, is activated.
Circumstances (continued)
Pipe Removal and Replacement
If you select the fourth circumstance, Removal and Replacement of Pipe, a new section, New Pipe Section, is activated.
Circumstances (continued)
Pressure Test
If you select the fifth circumstance, Pressure Test by Other Means, a text box, Pressure Testing, is activated.
Circumstances (continued)
Work Near Water Body or Wetland
If you select the last and sixth circumstance, Ground Disturbance within 30 m of a Wetland or Waterbody, after you select <<Save and Next>>, a new page titled “Water Body” will be initiated to be completed before submitting notification.
Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
Activity Plan
The next screen asks you to enter more information about the activity, such as dates. Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
If you select <<YES>> to the first question, you are required to enter the number of integrity digs associated with the notification.
If you select<<NO>> to the first question, you will be required to enter the type of activity by choosing from the dropdown list or by selecting “Other,” which will also initiate a text box where you will be required to provide a brief description on the type of activity.
As per the Guidance notes, a company is required to notify the Board 21 working days in advance of an O&M activity. If you are filing an unplanned event, a text box will appear and an explanation will be required.
Once you have entered the start and finish dates of the activity, if you have not provided the Board with 21 days, a red box will appear at the top of the page. You will then be required to either change the dates, or click <<YES>> to unplanned activity and provide an explanation.
Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
Location
The next screen asks you to enter information about the location of the event. The “Pipeline” section is mandatory. If the name of the pipeline is not listed or if the name in the list is incorrect, select --Not Listed--, and provide all required information (name of pipeline, outside diameter, pipeline length and commodity carried).
To enter the longitude and latitude of the activity, click <<Add>>. If there is more than one activity site for the notification, click <<Add>> as many times as necessary.
Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
New Land
If you selected “New Land is required” on the Circumstances page, you will be required to provide more information. This screen will ask for information pertaining to the amount of new land needed, how much of that land is permanent, land ownership and species at risk.
If you select <<YES>> to private land, more information will be required:
If you select <<YES>> to land within critical habitat for any endangered or threatened species listed on Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act, more information will be required:
Water Body
If you selected “Ground disturbance using power-operated equipment within 30 m of a wetland or water body” on the Circumstances page, you will be required to provide more information. This screen will ask for information pertaining to the Access, Activity Site and Navigation.
If you selected <<YES>> to the Access question, more information will be required.
If you selected <<YES>> to the first Activity Site question, more information will be required.
More information about Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and efforts to avoid, mitigate and/or offset harm to fish and fish habitat can be found on Projects Near Water.
If you answer <<NO>> to following applicable DFO measures to avoid harm to fish and fish habitat, more information will be required and you will need to complete the Fish Habitat page (please see below for more information).
Navigation
If you select <<YES>> to the “Navigation” question, more information will be required.
If you select <<NO>> to meeting the criteria of Transport Canada’s Minor Works and Waters Order, you will be required to provide more information on a separate screen. More information on Transport Canada and the Order can be found on Categories of works in the proposed Canadian Navigable Waters Act.
Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>.
Fish Habitat
If you select <<NO>> to following DFO measures to avoid harm to fish and fish habitat at any time, you will be required to provide more information on a separate screen.
When satisfied that all information is correct, click <<Save and Next>>. You will be directed to the Documents page.
Documents
The Documents screen allows for the upload of documents relating to the event, including photographs, reports, various types of correspondence, etc.
Type the document title and then click on <<Browse>> to locate file on computer. Click <<Save>>.
You can select <<Add>> for each additional document, or you can click <<Next>> when all documents have been uploaded.
Once complete, click <<Save and Next>>. You will be directed to the final submission.
Final Submission
You may receive an error message as noted below if you have any outstanding mandatory data missing from your notification. In order to rectify, simply click on the menu located on the left of the screen to navigate to the appropriate screen for the necessary corrections.
Once all fields have been populated with all required data free of errors you will be able to submit the notification.
You will be prompted to proceed with the submission. Click <<OK>> to submit or <<Cancel>> to return to the event for further editing.
After the submission has been made, a screen will indicate that the report has been successfully submitted to the NEB.
The filing now has an event number assigned to it (i.e. OM2015-189). Once the notification has been submitted an automatically generated e-mail confirmation (see below) will be sent to the e-mail address provided in the report, advising that the notification has been received and should clarification of the information be required then an NEB staff member will contact you at the e-mail or phone provided in the notification.
By clicking on the link in the <<View documents in the NEB regulatory document repository>> link, you can view the filing in The National Energy Board’s electronic regulatory document repository. This record is simultaneously created in the Board’s electronic repository. Notifications can be also viewed by going to our website and clicking on <<View Regulatory Documents>>. Once in REGDOCS, select the Facility type, company name, and then select “Notification of Operation and Maintenance Activities.”
Once submitted, if changes are required or something was submitted in error, click on <<Send a Message to the NEB>>. Any changes required after submission will have to be made by NEB staff or staff will reopen the event for editing. Ensure to include the event number in the message (i.e. OM2018-025), as well as any relevant details.
Alternatively, you can send an email to dlerssupport@neb-one.gc.ca with the information. Staff will contact the person on file to ensure the information is corrected.
Future Updates to Notifications
Once the notification has been submitted, you will no longer be able to edit or update the information without permission from NEB staff. You can send an email to dlerssupport@cer-rec.gc.ca requesting the event be reopened for you to edit directly, or changes can be made by NEB staff. Be sure to include the event number (i.e. OM2015-189), as well as any relevant details.
In the case the notification is reopened, you will need to access the event through the original email confirmation, as described on page 5, and as shown below:
Event Closed
Once the notification has been reviewed and deemed complete, you will receive an email indicating the notification is closed.
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