Auditor General slams BC Oil and Gas Commission

By Energeticcity.ca staff

A report released today by the Auditor General is slamming the BC Oil and Gas Commission.

The audit concludes that the OGC isn’t doing a sufficient job in its oversight of restoring contaminated well sites in the northeast. The report found that many oil and gas companies are unable to afford the restoration program, resulting in an influx of orphaned wells.

Auditor General John Doyle wrote in the report that he felt it was important to carry out an audit at this time, due to the rapid growth of the industry.

The OGC has a mandate to foster a healthy environment, but the report found that no formal provincial program is in place to manage the environmental effects of development on the land base.

The report indicated that the OGC must become more transperent in its oversight of site contamination risks. The recommendation says that in order for the OGC to become transperant, it needs to improve its information collection system and public reporting.

For the full report, click on the attachment below.