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Full-Text Articles in Law
Developments. In Newfoundland And Labrador Offshore Royalties: From Hibernia To Hebron And Back, R J. Thrasher, Simon Baines
Developments. In Newfoundland And Labrador Offshore Royalties: From Hibernia To Hebron And Back, R J. Thrasher, Simon Baines
Dalhousie Law Journal
This paper traces the historical development of the offshore oil and gas royalty regime for Newfoundland and Labrador, from the first negotiated private royalty agreement for the Hibernia project, through the application of both generic and project-specific regulatory schemes applicable to later projects, up to the Hibernia Southern Expansion. The variations in key provisions across the six major projects are reviewed, with regard to royalty structures, transportation cost eligibility, cost and production allocation, dispute settlement and legislative stability clauses. Finally, the prospect for application of innovations and solutions developed to date to future projects is considered.
Onshore Oil And Gas Regimes In Atlantic Canada:, Michael P. Simms, Carole Chan
Onshore Oil And Gas Regimes In Atlantic Canada:, Michael P. Simms, Carole Chan
Dalhousie Law Journal
The focus ofoiland gas development in the Atlantic region has for many years been on the offshore areas. However, there is active exploration and some production onshore, and it is likely that interest and investment will increase in this sector in coming years. This paper considers the legislative regimes for onshore oil and gas development in the Atlantic provinces-including tenure arrangements, surface access issues, operational regulation, pooling and unitization provisions, royalties and abandonment and liability-with comparisons to schemes applicable in western Canada. The existing legislative regimes in the Atlantic region date back many years, and are likely to be the …
The Land Tenure System In The Newfoundland And Labrador Offshore Regulatory Regime: Review, Analysis And Current Issues, Alexander Macdonald, Nick Crosbie
The Land Tenure System In The Newfoundland And Labrador Offshore Regulatory Regime: Review, Analysis And Current Issues, Alexander Macdonald, Nick Crosbie
Dalhousie Law Journal
The development of an offshore oiland gas industry in the Gulf ofSt. Lawrence has created, for the first time, the potential for interactions between the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore regulatory regime and other regimes (either the new regime in Quebec or the National Energy Board). As industry participants evaluate where they will spend their exploration dollars, they will need to understand the various regulatory regimes in place. Land tenure in Newfoundland and Labrador is similar to the regime in places subject to the jurisdiction of the National Energy Board. Over the past 25 years, however the decisions of the courts …
Deepwater Horizon: Lessons For The Offshore, Wiley Spicer
Deepwater Horizon: Lessons For The Offshore, Wiley Spicer
Dalhousie Law Journal
This paper reviews the regulatory framework governing offshore oil and gas operations on the continental shelf. Offshore exploration comprises both marine and industrial elements, regulated through a complex web of national (coastal state) regulation and international conventions, the latter primarily directed towards the marine aspects of operations. Following the Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010, the adequacy of current regulatory approaches came under increased scrutiny It is argued in this paper that the growing complexity of the industry, coupled with increasing activity in deepwater and Arctic environments, requires development of a more robust system of international regulation.
Confidential Information And Governments: Balancing The Public's Right To Access Government Records And An Oil And Gas Company's Right To Protect Confidential Information, Stephen Burns, Todd Newhook, Sébastien Gittens
Confidential Information And Governments: Balancing The Public's Right To Access Government Records And An Oil And Gas Company's Right To Protect Confidential Information, Stephen Burns, Todd Newhook, Sébastien Gittens
Dalhousie Law Journal
This paper explores the relationship between the public's right to access records in the custody or under the control of the government with the oil and gas industry's need to protect its confidential information from disclosure. Focusing on practical issues, the authors review the law of confidence, the structure of the access to information legislation and related case law, the public policy considerations supporting same, and some of the risks and pitfalls that organizations can avoid if they consider such legislation when interacting with public bodies.
Fallow Fields Initiatives And Canada's East Coast Offshore: Policy And Legal Considerations, Raymond E. Quesnel
Fallow Fields Initiatives And Canada's East Coast Offshore: Policy And Legal Considerations, Raymond E. Quesnel
Dalhousie Law Journal
The author examines various approaches adopted by government to balance the state's interest in promoting the timely and efficient exploration and development of oil and gas resources under state jurisdiction and industry's need for legal regimes providingsecurityoftenure and other conditions necessary for commercial success. In particular, the paper considers fallow field initiatives adopted by the United Kingdom in respect of the North Sea and their possible application to government's management of oil and gas resources in the Canadian east coast offshore areas, addressing applicable policy considerations, the legislative history of the statutory frameworks in place, and relatedjurisprudence.
The Accord Acts Twenty Years Later, Shawn Denstedt, R J. Thrasher
The Accord Acts Twenty Years Later, Shawn Denstedt, R J. Thrasher
Dalhousie Law Journal
The authors examine key provisions of the Accord Acts and the experience with them to date, and make comparisons with other jurisdictions. They address regulatory issues, such as the resource conservation powers of the Boards, the relationship between the Boards and other agencies, and the relative success of regulation streamlining efforts. Finally,they consider exploration and development matters and commercial issues such as flow-testing of exploration wells, benefits, royalty agreements, Board guidelines, disclosure of information, and conditions or requirements attached by the Boards to authorizations.
Aboriginal Rights.And The Atlantic Canada Petroleum Industry, David Reid, Stephanie Hickman
Aboriginal Rights.And The Atlantic Canada Petroleum Industry, David Reid, Stephanie Hickman
Dalhousie Law Journal
The authors explore the recent developments in Aboriginal law and their implications for the petroleum industry in Atlantic Canada. To set the stage, they provide a brief historical overview of Aboriginal settlement and land-use in the region, followed by a brief review of the petroleum industry's development in Atlantic Canada. After examining the state of the jurisprudence relating to Aboriginal rights generally,the authors turn to the current state of aboriginalrights, rights claims, and consultation obligations in the Atlantic Canadian context. The impact of the current state of the law on the petroleum industry is then analyzed and future trends outlined.
The Implications Of Unclos For Canada's Regulatory Jurisdiction In The Offshore-The 200-Mile Limit And The Continental Shelf, Keith F. Miller
The Implications Of Unclos For Canada's Regulatory Jurisdiction In The Offshore-The 200-Mile Limit And The Continental Shelf, Keith F. Miller
Dalhousie Law Journal
The author examines the current state of international law governing Canada's sovereignty and jurisdiction over the exploitation of hydrocarbons within its continental shelf. These rights are reviewed from a historical perspective through theprogression ofinternational conventions, the decisions ofinternational tribunals and the enactmentof Canadian federal laws. The article includes anexamination of Canada's rights under international law respecting its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf beyond, as well as a review of Canada's maritime boundary disputes with adjacent coastal states.
Creative Sentencing, Restorative Justice And Environmental Law: Responding To The Terra Nova Fpso Oil Spill, Cecily Y. Strickland, Scott Miller
Creative Sentencing, Restorative Justice And Environmental Law: Responding To The Terra Nova Fpso Oil Spill, Cecily Y. Strickland, Scott Miller
Dalhousie Law Journal
On 20 November 2004 the Terra Nova FPSO inadvertently discharged 165n3 of oily water into the surrounding waters of the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore area. Petro-Canada was charged with having caused a spill and thereby committing an offence pursuant to the Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Act. This was the first charge of its type arising from offshore oil and gas operations on the east coast of Canada. The authors provide a factual overview of the incident and identify some resultant legal issues, including the application of creative sentencing and the use of probation orders.
Offshore Employment And Occupational Health And Safety Issues, John Macpherson
Offshore Employment And Occupational Health And Safety Issues, John Macpherson
Dalhousie Law Journal
In Canada responsibility for regulating labour relations, employment and occupational health and safety matters is shared between the federal and provincial governments. In this paper the author describes the complexities of the legislative regime governing the Nova Scotia offshore. Specifically, he looks at section 157 of the Nova Scotia Accord Act (Canada), certification of workers offshore, and occupational health and safety legislation.
Provincial Entitlement To Gas Trunk Line Ownership - Enforceability And Constitutionality, Dufferin Harper
Provincial Entitlement To Gas Trunk Line Ownership - Enforceability And Constitutionality, Dufferin Harper
Dalhousie Law Journal
The author discusses the interpretation of section 40 of the Nova Scotia Accord Act (Canada) and the Nova Scotia Accord Act (Nova Scotia). The section provides that the Government of Nova Scotia be given "a reasonable opportunity" to acquire on a "commercial basis" up to a fifty percent ownership in the Nova Scotia trunkine in certain circumstances. He points out that even though the dispute between the Federal and Provincial governments regarding the ownership of the offshore appears to be on hold, the issue is relevant to the application of section 40.
Occupational Health And Safety: The New Regime For The East Coast Offshore, Susan E. Gover
Occupational Health And Safety: The New Regime For The East Coast Offshore, Susan E. Gover
Dalhousie Law Journal
The Governments of Canada, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador are moving to enshrine existing offshore occupational health and safety (OHS) practices into the Atlantic Accord legislation governing the regulation of petroleum-related activity off the eastern coast of Canada. The proposed OHS amendments discussed in this paper are intended to provide a comprehensive legal framework to achieve the same kind of protection for offshore workers that onshore workers currently enjoy. Application of occupational health and safety laws in the offshore will be clarified so that these amendments, and not other federal or provincial OHS laws, will apply to any workplace …
Effective And Efficient Regulation Of The Offshore Oil Industry: The 2001 White Rose Public Review Process, Peter O'Flaherty, Matthew Clarke
Effective And Efficient Regulation Of The Offshore Oil Industry: The 2001 White Rose Public Review Process, Peter O'Flaherty, Matthew Clarke
Dalhousie Law Journal
Section 44(2)(b) of the provincial and federal Canada-Newfoundland Atlantic Accord Implementation Acts provides for a public review of proposed developments of petroleum resources as part of the existing regulatory approval process for the Newfoundland Offshore Area. To date, public reviews have been conducted for three offshore oil developments: Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose. This paper examines the effectiveness and efficiency of the public review process for the White Rose Project. The author concludes that the review process was effective in successfully gathering public input and reporting this information to the CNOPB. Despite CNOPB's failure to accept many of the …
Offshore Seismic And Fisheries And Environmental Issues - How Can They Be Reconciled?: A Case Study On The Public Review On The Effects Of Potential Oil And Gas Exploration Offshore Cape Breton, David Macdougall
Dalhousie Law Journal
The author describes the review process preceding the 2003 CNSOPB decision which permitted seismic activities offshore of Cape Breton. The process included a public review conducted by Commissioner Dr. Teresa MacNeil and the subsequent establishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group (part of the CNSOPB's existing Fisheries and Environment Advisory Committee (FEAC)) and a Science Working Group reporting to the Ad Hoc Working Group. In the author's view, the Ad Hoc Working Group arrived at the anticipated result; that is, continued disagreement among the opposing parties on the fundamental issues. Consequently CNSOPB was left with the decision on how to …
Statutory Liens In The Atlantic Canada Offshore Area, Robert Carmichael
Statutory Liens In The Atlantic Canada Offshore Area, Robert Carmichael
Dalhousie Law Journal
This article will examine statutory and common law liens in relation to assets used in oil and gas exploration and production in areas offshore Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador It considers the applicable constitutional regime, the maritime law and the interrelationship between maritime law, federal law, and provincial law.
Union Certification On Offshore Production Installations, Gregory Anthony
Union Certification On Offshore Production Installations, Gregory Anthony
Dalhousie Law Journal
The author describes the jurisdictional and legislative regimes governing labour relations in the Newfoundland and Labrador offshore. After providing an overview of the provincial certification process, he recounts the process of certification of the Hibernia platform and reviews some of the legal issues raised therefrom.
Walking The Centre Line: Balancing An Employee's Right To Privacy In Drug And Alcohol Policies In The Atlantic Offshore Oil Industry, Harold Smith, Joseph Anthony
Walking The Centre Line: Balancing An Employee's Right To Privacy In Drug And Alcohol Policies In The Atlantic Offshore Oil Industry, Harold Smith, Joseph Anthony
Dalhousie Law Journal
Should the principles applied to drug and alcohol testing on land be imported into the Atlantic offshore oil and gas industry? The authors take the position that there is room for the notion that the application of principles derived from safety sensitive land based industry ought not to be applied in a perfunctory or rote manner to the Atlantic offshore environment. The case law, since Entrop, shows a judicial tendency to apply the requirements established by the obiter dictum of Entrop. (Etrop dealt with safety sensitive but land-based industry.) The danger is that the principles, as developed by and since …
Key Issues In The New Regime Of Occupational Health And Safety: The Right To Refuse Work And Directors' And Officers' Liability, Jim Thistle, Matthew Clarke, Joshua Martin
Key Issues In The New Regime Of Occupational Health And Safety: The Right To Refuse Work And Directors' And Officers' Liability, Jim Thistle, Matthew Clarke, Joshua Martin
Dalhousie Law Journal
This article examines the existing and proposed occupational health and safety regulatory regimes for oil and gas operations offshore Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador The article provides historical context for both the existing and the proposed regimes. Two specific areas of concern are analysed: the right to refuse work and directors' and officers' liability. For each issue, the author offers observations on the potential impacts that the implementation of proposed legislation will have on offshore oil and gas operations in these jurisdictions
International Royalty And Continental Shelf Limits: Emerging Issues For The Canadian Offshore, Aldo Chircop, Bruce Marchand
International Royalty And Continental Shelf Limits: Emerging Issues For The Canadian Offshore, Aldo Chircop, Bruce Marchand
Dalhousie Law Journal
Article 82 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, provides a novel obligation in international law that is likely to become operative within the decade. It establishes an international royalty on production from the utilization of non-living resources (such as oil and gas) on the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, but within the outer limit of a coastal state's jurisdiction. Producing states will have an obligation to make payments or contributions in kind that are calculated on the basis of an incremental rate applicable as from the sixth year of production and reaching a …
Effective And Efficient Regulation In Nova Scotia, J Marshall Burgess
Effective And Efficient Regulation In Nova Scotia, J Marshall Burgess
Dalhousie Law Journal
Effective and efficient regulation of the oil and gas industry on the East Coast of Canada is a top priority of the federal and provincial governments. Ever since oil and gas exploration and development began in this region, stakeholders and others have urged regulators to address and remedy this issue. This paper reviews how governments have responded first in the onshore context, and then in the offshore. Issues that regulators need to address are identified and legislative, regulatory, and administrative changes which have been made and are proposed are reviewed. Finally, the author reflects on possible future developments and the …
Canadian East Coast Offshore Oil And Gas Industry: Sustainable Development Through Cooperative Federalism, Keith R. Evans
Canadian East Coast Offshore Oil And Gas Industry: Sustainable Development Through Cooperative Federalism, Keith R. Evans
Dalhousie Law Journal
For many years, development of the oil and gas potential off the east coast of Canada was delayed while the jurisdictional issues in respect of the area were resolved. While the provinces lost the major court battles on jurisdiction, political pressures combined with practical aspects of provincial involvement in the land bases for operations in the offshore area have resulted in pragmatic cooperation between the two levels of government and the establishment of joint administrative Boards to oversee exploration and development in the area. This paper explores the background to and the mechanics used for this pragmatic constitutional resolution and, …
Securing Assets Of Oil And Gas Projects Offshore Nova Scotia, Robert W. Carmichael
Securing Assets Of Oil And Gas Projects Offshore Nova Scotia, Robert W. Carmichael
Dalhousie Law Journal
Offshore oil and gas projects sometimes require financing, and project financing usually requires the taking of security in project assets. In this article, the author examines the legislative framework comprised of the traditional provincial and federal security legislation and the specialized Nova Scotia Accord Acts to determine that there is presently no effective regime in place for taking security in many types of assets of offshore oil and gas projects.
Cooperative Environmental Assessments: Their Increasing Role In Oil And Gas Projects, Judith Hanebury
Cooperative Environmental Assessments: Their Increasing Role In Oil And Gas Projects, Judith Hanebury
Dalhousie Law Journal
As the subject matter of "environment" is not specifically assigned in the Constitution to only the federal government or the provinces, there has been an increasing trend toward cooperative environmental assessment processes to avoid jurisdictional friction points. This article describes the relevantjurisdictional friction points that have encouraged this trend and describes some issues and considerations that have arisen in relation to recent cooperative environmental assessments carried out for oil and gas projects.
Oceans Act: Uncharted Seas For Offshore Development In Atlantic Canada?, Aldo Chircop, Bruce A. Marchand
Oceans Act: Uncharted Seas For Offshore Development In Atlantic Canada?, Aldo Chircop, Bruce A. Marchand
Dalhousie Law Journal
Canada's Oceans Act, now five years old, is a ground-breaking piece of legislation in marine law which provides a framework for the development of a national oceans strategy, integrated planning and management, and institutional responsibilities. In this article, the authors review the Act and its issues and argue that the uncertainties found there provide opportunities for participants in the Atlantic Canada offshore oil and gas industry to influence the development of an oceans policy, legal and institutional framework that accommodates all interests.
East Coast Project Financing Issues, Raymond E. Quesnel, R J. Thrasher
East Coast Project Financing Issues, Raymond E. Quesnel, R J. Thrasher
Dalhousie Law Journal
In this article, the authors provide a comprehensive review of project financing as a means to fundoilandgasprojects in the Atlantic Canada offshore. Inparticular, the nature and characteristics of project financing are examined, together with a review of some recent East Coast project financings and an analysis of the legal and contractual framework that comes into play. This is followed byan extensive discussion on the structuring of a project financing including a consideration of the risks involved and how those risks may be allocated.
Financial Responsibility Requirements For Oil And Gas Activities Offshore Nova Scotia And Newfoundland, Boris Bde Jonge
Financial Responsibility Requirements For Oil And Gas Activities Offshore Nova Scotia And Newfoundland, Boris Bde Jonge
Dalhousie Law Journal
This article outlines the regime of statutory liability and financial responsibility requirements for the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland offshore areas with a particular emphasis on the content and validityof the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Boards' jointly issued Guidelines for Financial Responsibility.
Drainage Issues In The Atlantic Canada Offshore Petroleum Industry, Richard A. Neufeld, Robert G. Grant
Drainage Issues In The Atlantic Canada Offshore Petroleum Industry, Richard A. Neufeld, Robert G. Grant
Dalhousie Law Journal
In this article, the authors examine the issue of drainage in the Atlantic Canada offshore. The offshore statutory regimes for production of oil and gas, together with the common law, are analyzed for their approaches to dealing with drainage issues. In addition, the law of drainage in Alberta is comprehensively reviewed to provide some guidance as to how the law of drainage may develop in Atlantic Canada.
Are Royalty Agreements Required For Canada East Coast Offshore Oil And Gas?, Alan T. Pettie
Are Royalty Agreements Required For Canada East Coast Offshore Oil And Gas?, Alan T. Pettie
Dalhousie Law Journal
This article examines the royalty regime in the area offshore the two oil and gas producing provinces on the east coast of Canada. A review of the historical background of the legislative framework is provided. The right to levy royalties on the production of oil and gas is reviewed. The legislative provisions relating to the execution of royalty agreements and the introduction of generic royalty regulations are examined. The article describes specific fiscal and commercial terms which are not included in the current Nova Scotia generic royalty regime and might not be included in the generic regime which might be …
Offshore Oil And Gas Facility Decommissioning In Nova Scotia And Newfoundland, Phillip Abraham
Offshore Oil And Gas Facility Decommissioning In Nova Scotia And Newfoundland, Phillip Abraham
Dalhousie Law Journal
While planning for the ultimate decommissioning of Atlantic Canada offshore oil and gas facilities is a necessary requirement of project approval, this issue has not yet graduated to the level of attention it receives in other parts of the world with more mature offshore petroleum industries. In this article, the author reviews some decommissioning methods and examines the international and domestic law applicable to the decommissioning of oil and gas facilities on the continental shelf offshore Atlantic Canada.