Celebrating Excellence in Remediation and Reclamation
Responsible development encompasses the entire project life cycle – from front-end project design to proactive well abandonment and a reclamation program. Recently, our efforts in remediation and reclamation were recognized by Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada.
This Fall, Rick Rohl, an Environmental Coordinator with our team, was recognized by the Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC) with the 2022 PTAC Remediation and Reclamation Research Leadership Award.
About the Award
Since 1998, PTAC has hosted an annual awards ceremony to recognize individuals who provided significant contributions and leadership in the development of our world-class hydrocarbon resources through innovation, collaborative R&D, and technology demonstration.
This year, Rick was recognized for providing valuable technical direction and leadership on projects related to industry performance and environmental excellence through the PTAC Remediation Reclamation Research Committee.
A Career in Liability Management
For the past 17 years, Rick has worked in liability management across the energy industry with field-based roles and project management positions. Since joining ARC in 2018, Rick and his team have focused on managing ARC’s inactive portfolio to meet or exceed regulations. In total, the team manages more than 300 sites at various stages of reclamation across Alberta and British Columbia. With increased attention on inactive legacy infrastructure, Rick’s team has played a critical role in helping ARC exceed closure requirements through proactive and effective portfolio management.
“Historically, the cycle time to achieve a reclamation certification on an inactive location has taken many years. By improving our processes and establishing best practices, we have been able to progress a site from abandonment through to monitoring vegetation establishment in just a single year. We hope that in coming years this will translate into an increased quantity of reclamation certificates under shorter timelines. I’m really proud of our team, their focus on safety, and how they continue to find ways we can be better.” – Rick Rohl, Environmental Coordinator, ARC Resources.
Asset Retirement and Reclamation at ARC
Once operations are complete, our goal is to return impacted land to its original or equivalent state as quickly as possible. Through engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous communities, we can understand how the land is used and any additional considerations for reclamation or initial construction. In our project design, we aim to minimize disturbance and protect biodiversity.
In 2021, we reclaimed 152 hectares of land and planted more than 225,000 trees. Through our accelerated reclamation program, we progressed 34 locations through downhole abandonment to vegetation monitoring.
About PTAC
Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC) is a Canadian hydrocarbon industry association that serves as a neutral non-profit facilitator of collaborative R&D and technology development, and operates in partnership with all industry stakeholders to transform challenges into opportunities. Learn more on their website.
