OGC designates 404 sites formerly owned by Ranch Energy as orphans

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The B.C. Oil & Gas Commission says it has designated 401 wells and three facilities, formerly owned by Ranch Energy, as orphans.

The designation of Ranch Energy’s wells to orphans follows the June 12, 2020, approved sale of Ranch assets by the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta.

As orphans, the OGC says site clean-up and restoration work will be carried out by the Commission and paid for through the industry-funded Orphan Site Reclamation Fund.

The Commission says they have been monitoring this situation closely since Ranch was placed in receivership on July 19, 2018. Throughout the court proceedings, the Commission says it took action to complete high priority work on Ranch sites to ensure public safety and protection of the environment.

The addition of the 404 Ranch sites means the Commission is now responsible for 770 orphan sites in B.C.