EUB Regulated Facilities:

Setback and Safe

Construction Guidelines
Presented by:
Lisa Best, Setback Distance Advisor
Brad Olive B.Sc. Senior Inspector

EUB Regulated Facilities: Setback and Safe

Construction Guidelines
The Alberta Energy and Utilities Boards (EUB) Mission is to
ensure that the discovery, development and delivery of
Albertas resources take place in a manner that is fair,
responsible and in the public interest.
The purpose of setback distance and ground disturbance
guidelines is to provide a safety buffer between oil and gas
facilities and the public.
The EUB regulates pipelines above 700 KPa and lines that
originate and terminate within the province of Alberta

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

What is a ground disturbance?

Any activity that disturbs the ground, including:

excavating, digging, trenching, plowing, drilling,
tunneling, augering, backfilling, blasting, stripping
topsoil, leveling, removing peat, quarrying, clearing,
grading, or pounding posts
A ground disturbance activity either exceeds 30cm in
depth, or permanently reduces the amount of pipeline
cover
Deep tillage practices exceeding 45 cm depth are a
ground disturbance

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

Anyone planning to carry out a GROUND
DISTURBANCE anywhere, must first
Look for pipelines in the following records:
Call Alberta One-Call at 1-800-242-3447 (Note: NOT
ALL companies are registered on the One-Call
system)
Check the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB)
records for the existence of pipelines
Check with your local utilities services
Check land title for easements that may indicate the
location of pipelines

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

Anyone planning to carry out a GROUND
DISTURBANCE anywhere, must also
Look for pipelines at the site:
Look for warning signs where pipelines cross roads
or waters
Look for wells, tanks, or valves which may indicate
the presence of pipelines
Look for ground settling from previous work
Talk to nearby/adjacent landowners and residents

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

What is a Controlled Area?
A pipelines Controlled Area is the land
bordering it for 30 m along each side.

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

What is a Right-of-Way?
A pipeline Right-of-Way is the land allocated for the pipeline and
its maintenance as set out in the agreement between the
landowner and the pipeline company. The right-of-way will usually
be less than the 30m controlled area, but may sometimes be more.
In this example, the right-of-way is 25m.

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

Anyone working in the Controlled Area but
OUTSIDE of the pipeline right-of-way must:
Call the pipeline owner at least two full
working days before digging so the pipeline
can be located and marked.
Install temporary fencing, if necessary, to
control the travel of excavation equipment
over the pipeline

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

Anyone working in the pipeline Right-of-Way
must:
Get written approval from the pipeline owner
before digging.
Call the pipeline owner at least two full
working days before digging so the pipeline
can be located and marked
Hand-expose the pipeline before digging with
machinery within 5 m of the pipeline

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

Anyone working in the pipeline Right-of-Way
must:
Ensure that NO machinery comes within 60
cm of a pipeline without the supervision of
the pipeline owner
Call the pipeline owner at least one full
working day before covering any exposed
pipeline

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

The pipeline operators responsibilities are to:
Provide pipeline information upon request
Provide reasonable assistance to anyone carrying out
a ground disturbance
Mark the position of the pipeline before ground
disturbance takes place, without charge
Be present, if asked, during hand exposure
Inspect the pipeline for damage prior to backfilling,
and keep a written record of this inspection
Supervise any mechanical excavation within 60cm of
the pipeline

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

The excavators responsibilities are to:
Check records for the existence of pipelines
Obtain written permission for working within the
pipeline right-of-way
Call pipeline owner at least two full working days
before digging so pipeline position can be marked
Erect temporary fencing along right-of-way, if needed
Construct proper crossings to allow access over rightof-way, if needed

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

The excavators responsibilities are to:
(continued)
Hand-expose pipeline before using machinery within
5m, requesting attendance of pipeline owner
Avoid using machinery within 60cm of pipeline, unless
supervised by the owner
Call the pipeline owner at least one full working day
before covering any exposed pipeline

Guidelines for safe construction near pipelines

IF A PIPELINE IS HIT

STOP WORK AND NOTIFY THE OWNER IMMEDIATELY!

If contact with a pipeline has gouged, dented, scraped, bent,
flattened, or otherwise damaged the pipe, or has damaged the
protective coating:
Immediately report it to the pipeline operator, and
The pipeline operator must report it to the EUB.

Setback Distances
Related to Land Development
Setback or Separation Distance
the minimum required distance applied to EUB regulated oil and gas facilities and
various types of land use development

Provides
protection against nuisance effects such as noise
provision of sufficient working space for the industry
safety of the public

Oil and Gas Conservation Act

requires minimum setback distances be met prior to the licensing of any new oil
and gas facility

Mirror Legislation
minimum setback distances are reflected in the Subdivision and Development
Regulation pursuant to the Municipal Government Act

Setback Distances
Related to Land Development
Minimum Setback Distances
Apply to wells and pipelines that contain substances such as crude
oil, salt water, natural gas, fuel gas, high vapor pressure products
and sour natural gas with <10 mol/kmol or <1% H2S
New well licenses require a minimum setback distance of 100
metres from the wellhead to a surface improvement
Abandoned wells require a surface setback distance of 5 metres
along with a working space of 10 by 15 metres
New pipeline licenses require the minimum setback distance to be
equal to the width of the right of way

Setback Distances
Related to Land Development
Sour Gas Setback Distances
Apply to wells, pipelines and facilities containing sour natural gas > 10Mol/kmol or >
1% H2S and various land use developments
Are determined by both the level of a sour gas facility and the type of land
development. EUB has defined development density into four groups; Permanent
Dwelling, Unrestricted Country Development and Urban Centre or Public Facility

Sour Gas is a natural gas containing hydrogen sulphide (H2S)

it is colorless, heavier than air, at low concentrations smells like rotten eggs, and
can be highly toxic at high concentrations

Sour Gas Level Classification

Levels are based on potential release rate volumes ranges for well and pipelines
containing sour gas. Level 1 is the lowest level of classification, Level 4 is the
highest level of classification with the greatest setback distance required

Setback Distances
Related to Land Development
A Referral Agency to Planning Authorities
The EUB, through the Provincial Subdivision Regulation has been
set out as a referral agency for matters relating to sour gas
To ensure that setback distances are consistent with those
imposed on oil and gas operators are also applied when surface
development occurs. As minimum setback distances are set out
by legislation, the EUB provides only comments on facilities that
would require a greater setback distance than the minimum.
Planning authorities submit outline plans, municipal development
plans, area structure plans as well as subdivision and
development proposals to the EUB for a comment regarding
setback distances for sour gas facilities

Setback Distances
Related to Land Development
Land Development Information Package
Available for anyone planning subdivision or development
Provides information from EUB records on oil and gas facilities, as
well as abandoned wells and coal mines.
Information provided in this package covers a geographic area
larger than the subject land inquired about.
The document EUB Minimum Setback Recommendations - An
Overview is included.

Setback Distances
Related to Land Development
Setback Relaxations
Strongly discouraged, in rare situations, it has been acceptable
Must be formally requested by the Municipal Planning Authority
Each case is looked at independently
A relaxation would not be considered for any well that contained
sour gas, or any distance that would be less than 50 metres

Setback Distances
Related to Land Development
High Vapour Pressure
Large Diameter High Pressure Pipelines
Includes pipelines that have an outside diameter > 323mm or 8-10
The EUB has not established setback requirements for these
pipelines other than the edge of the pipeline right of way
The Alberta Municipal Affairs document titled Advisory Land Use
Planning Notes On The Pipeline-Urban Encroachment Problem
recommends a 200 metre setback distance

Acts, Regulations, Interim Directives,

General Bulletins
Informational Letters, Interim Directives or Guides referred to in this
presentation may be obtained from our Information Services Department at the
EUB, 403-297-8190 or from the EUBs web site at http://www.eub.gov.ab.ca
Interim Directive(ID) 81-3 EUB minimum distance requirements separating new
sour gas facilities from residential and other developments
Interim Directive(ID) 97-6 EUB Sour Well licensing and drilling requirements
Informational Letter (IL) 95-7 Subdivision and Development Regulation
requirements for referrals to the EUB
General Bulletin (GB) 99-4 Land Development Information Package, Introducing
a new service. Includes Minimum Setback Recommendations An Overview
document
Advisory Land Use Planning Notes - Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells, Draft
October 1996
Municipal Government Act , Subdivision and Development Regulation 212/95 Part 2 Subdivision and Development Conditions
Guide 30 Guidelines for Safe Construction Near Pipelines
Pipeline Act and Pipeline Regulation