Encana Corporation – Abandonment of Deep Panuke Offshore Gas Development

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Project Information

Encana Corporation (Encana) applied to the National Energy Board (NEB) on June 19, 2018 to abandon the Deep Panuke pipeline and associated onshore facilities. In its application, Encana says that it permanently ceased production from Deep Panuke on May 7, 2018 after reaching a stage of declining production.

The Deep Panuke gas field is located offshore about 250 km southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, approximately 47 km west of Sable Island in approximately 44 m of water. An offshore production platform produces and processes natural gas. The gas is transported to shore via a 175 km-long export pipeline to an interconnection with the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline (M&NP) facilities in Goldboro, Nova Scotia. Please visit Encana’s Deep Panuke website for additional details.

The export pipeline is regulated by the NEB and partially by the Canada – Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board. About three kilometres of the export pipeline is onshore, while the rest of the pipeline is offshore. Encana proposes to pig and flush the pipeline, fill it with seawater, leave the offshore end open, and abandon the pipe in place. The abandoned offshore portion of the pipeline will be marked as abandoned on navigation charts. The company has also applied to abandon the NEB-regulated onshore facilities consisting of a beach valve station, gas export pipeline terminus site, and access roads.

If the NEB approves this application, Encana plans to carry out the decommissioning and abandonment activities from 2018 – 2021.

This map provides an overview of the area.

Encana Corporation - Deep Panuke Abandonment

View larger PDF version [PDF 804 KB]

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Key Milestones

  • September 12, 2018 – Adjournment of the oral traditional evidence session [Filing A93983]
  • August 29, 2018 – Board issues procedural update No. 1 schedule and guidance for the Oral Traditional Evidence (OTE) sessions [Filing A93789]
  • August 29, 2018 – Board letter to Natural Resources Canada regarding ExxonMobil Canada Ltd and Encana Corporation Applications [Filings A93784]
  • August 9, 2018 – NEB releases Hearing Order [Filing A93458]
  • July 27, 2018: NEB issues letter on application completeness and hearing timelines [Filing A93285]
  • July 25, 2018: NEB releases List of Participants [Filing A93245]
  • July 6 – June 20, 2018: Apply to Participate
  • June 28, 2018: NEB issues the Notice of Public Hearing [Filing A92750]
  • June 19, 2018: Encana files its Project Application [Filing A92592]
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Preliminary List of Issues

The Board has identified, but does not restrict itself to, the following issues for consideration with respect to the proposed abandonment of the Encana Deep Panuke NEB-regulated facilities, both onshore and offshoreFootnote 1:

  1. The reason the facilities are being proposed for abandonment.
  2. Potential economic, financial, and commercial impacts of the Abandonment.
  3. The appropriateness of the method of abandonment undertaken for each segment of the Abandonment (removal or left in place).
  4. The suitability of the abandonment plan and associated activities or physical work for each segment of the Abandonment (offshore and onshore facilities).
  5. Potential environmental and socio-economic effects of the physical work associated with the Abandonment, including any cumulative environmental effects that are likely to result from the physical works.
  6. The appropriateness of the land requirements for the Abandonment.
  7. Potential impacts of the Abandonment on Indigenous interests.
  8. Potential impacts of the Abandonment on both affected landowners and land use, and offshore use and users; including: fishers, navigation, offshore activities, and any infrastructure crossings of the NEB-regulated facilities.
  9. Contingency planning for product release, as a result of accidents or malfunctions, during physical work associated with the Abandonment.
  10. Safety and security during activities conducted in relation to the Abandonment.
  11. Safety and security of activities conducted subsequent to the pipeline Abandonment, including monitoring, emergency response planning and prevention of damage by third-parties.
  12. The terms and conditions to be included in any approval the Board may issue.
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Resources

If you would like to learn more about how the NEB regulates pipeline abandonment, please visit the following links:

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Apply to Participate

Attention

Email is not a valid method of filing regulatory documents with the NEB. Comments received by email will not be considered. You must apply to participate.

To be a participant in a NEB hearing process, you must be directly affected or have relevant information or expertise. You can apply to participate as an intervenor or by letter of comment.

Participant Funding

Participant funding is available to facilitate the participation in this public hearing. Refer to the Participant Funding Program page for information on deadlines, eligibility, how to apply for funding, and how to submit claims.

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Contacts

Company contacts

If you have questions about the project, please contact Encana.

NEB Contacts

Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265

For process-related inquiries, please contact:

Process Advisor
Canada Energy Regulator
Email: Deep-Panuke@cer-rec.gc.ca
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265
Facsimile: 403-292-5503
Facsimile (toll free): 1-877-288-8803

For media inquiries, please contact:

Media Relations Team
Canada Energy Regulator
Email: media@cer-rec.gc.ca
Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265

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