Directive 065: Resources Applications for Oil and Gas Reservoirs ...

3.1.7 Explanatory Notes to Determine If the DE or SD Processes May Be Utilized
1. Are the pools involved already approved for commingling in the well?
To answer this question, the list of pools approved for commingling, as identified in the fieldbased
MU orders, must be checked. An evaluation needs to be made as to whether each
productive interval in the well proposed for commingling is currently part of an existing pool
as defined by the ERCB. If each interval proposed for commingling is within the boundaries
of existing pools as defined at the time the licensee is conducting its evaluation and these
pools are already approved for commingling, production from the pools may be commingled
in the subject well without any notice to the ERCB. Commingled production must be
reported to the Registry using the existing commingled production code for the pools
involved.
If at the time of the evaluation, the pools in the well have not been approved for commingling
as set out in the field-based MU orders, the licensee may proceed to use the DE or SD
decision tree to determine whether the well is a candidate for commingling through the DE or
SD process. If the well is a candidate for commingling using the DE or SD process,
production may be commingled in the wellbore immediately. Commingled production must
be reported to the Registry using the DE or SD code available for each field, and the licensee
must operate within the DE and SD criteria at all times. If the proposed commingling does
not meet the criteria for either DE or SD commingling and commingling is desired, an
application in accordance with Section 3.1.8 of Directive 065 must be submitted.
2. Are there any intervals proposed for commingling that are not within the area or
stratigraphic interval of the DE?
To answer this question, the licensee must confirm if the well and intervals proposed for
commingling are within the area and stratigraphic interval of the related DE. This information
is provided on the order for each DE, which is available on the ERCB Web site www.ercb.ca
under Industry Zone : Rules Regulations Requirements : Management of Commingling in the
Wellbore. If the well is outside the area of the DE or there are any perforated intervals within
the wellbore that are outside the stratigraphic interval of the DE, the well is not permitted to
commingle production under the DE process. If commingling of production is desired in this
circumstance, the licensee may proceed to the SD decision tree and determine if the proposed
commingling meets the criteria for SD commingling. If the proposed commingling does not
meet the criteria for either DE or SD commingling and commingling is desired, an
application in accordance with Section 3.1.8 of Directive 065 must be submitted.
3. If there are any perforations above the BGWP, is it anticipated that there would be water
production equal to or greater than 5 m3/well/month from all intervals in the well?
A licensee may determine whether any interval proposed for commingling is above BGWP
from the data provided in ERCB ST55: Alberta’s Base of Groundwater Protection (BGWP)
Information.
The volume of 5 m 3 /well/month is proposed as a practical cutoff to allow for small volumes
of water, including water of condensation that may periodically need to be cleaned out of the
well.
3-14 • ERCB Directive 065: Resources Applications / Commingled Production (October 2011)