US EditionLevy charged to Alberta oil companies too low to cover orphan well costs: report
- A report published on May 27, 2025, warns that the annual levy for Alberta oil companies to fund orphan well cleanup remains insufficient.
- This year’s levy rate, combined with historically low rates, is resulting in an estimated $1.2 billion funding gap for orphaned well cleanups.
- The Orphan Well Association manages more than 3,700 wells that require decommissioning, with cleanup costs exceeding $860 million and debts of $300 million to government lenders payable over 10 years.
- The Alberta Energy Regulator authorized the collection of $144 million through levies this fiscal year, approximately twice the amount set for 2022-23, although it maintains that this funding level does not hinder responsible well reclamation.
- The report suggests the orphan well problem will worsen unless levy rates increase substantially and calls for public consultation and transparent levy-setting processes.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Oil company levy too low to deal with Alberta's orphan well problem: report
A new report says the current annual levy charged to Alberta oil companies to fund the cleanup of orphaned oil and gas wells is leading to an estimated funding shortfall of $1.2 billion, making it extremely difficult to clear the backlog of orphan wells or keep up with the rate of surrendering.
Global News
Levy charged to Alberta oil companies too low to cover orphan well costs: report
A new report from the University of Calgary says the fund that's used to pay for the cleanup of orphan wells in Alberta is massively underfunded.
Levy appoints Thomas Rhodes to new culinary sustainability role
Levy UK and Ireland, the sports and hospitality arm of Compass Group UK and Ireland, has announced the appointment of Thomas Rhodes as its new head of Culinary – Procurement and Sustainability. Rhodes, who moves from his current role as Levy executive head chef at Allianz Stadium, will work alongside sustainability director, Kevin Watson, and director of Culinary, James Buckley, to ensure that new and existing Levy suppliers are fully aligned wi…
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