The Accelerated Site Closure Program
The Accelerated Site Closure Program (ASCP), launched by the Government of Saskatchewan on May 22, 2020, successfully allocated $400 million in federal funding to retire inactive and orphaned oil and gas wells in Saskatchewan. The program successfully concluded its operations on March 15, 2023.
Key accomplishments of ASCP include:
Indigenous Participation and Community Support:
Economic Impact and Job Creation:
Environmental Stewardship:
Key accomplishments of ASCP include:
Indigenous Participation and Community Support:
- $90 million was spent in support of Indigenous participation:
- Over $32 million in site closure work completed on Reserve lands; and
- Over $59 million paid to eligible Indigenous service companies for completed program work.
Economic Impact and Job Creation:
- ASCP created and sustained jobs within the oil and gas services sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- $400 million distributed to 907 Saskatchewan-based oil and gas service companies; and
- Over $59 million paid to eligible Indigenous service companies for completed program work.
Environmental Stewardship:
- ASCP contributed to 9,823 well abandonments, 4,041 flowline abandonments, 66 facility decommissions and 16, 710 site remediation and reclamation activities.
- 352 well sites located within identified ecologically significant areas have been fully reclaimed under the program.
Commitment
The First Nations Stewardship Fund will allocate up to $20M in program funding to conduct abandonment and reclamation activities in First Nations communities across Saskatchewan. Eligible Licensees with oil and gas sites on-Reserve will be able to access the First Nations Stewardship Fund. Eligible Licensees are asked to nominate sites for consideration under the Stewardship Fund. Licensees will engage with First Nations communities in the development of work packages under the Stewardship Fund.
The Indigenous Business Credit Pool will create an incentive for eligible Licensees to work with qualifying Indigenous Major contractors and Minor contractors to complete program work. Eligible Licensees that utilize qualifying Indigenous Major and Minor contractors will earn access to additional ASCP funding for future use. The Indigenous Business Credit Pool will make an additional $15M in ASCP funding available to participating Licensees. If fully utilized, the Indigenous Business Credit Pool will support a $30M spend on qualifying Indigenous businesses.
To support these initiatives, the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence (COE). The COE will work with the SRC, Licensees, oil and gas service companies, and First Nations communities to administer the First Nations Stewardship Fund and the Indigenous Business Credit Pool.
The Indigenous Business Credit Pool will create an incentive for eligible Licensees to work with qualifying Indigenous Major contractors and Minor contractors to complete program work. Eligible Licensees that utilize qualifying Indigenous Major and Minor contractors will earn access to additional ASCP funding for future use. The Indigenous Business Credit Pool will make an additional $15M in ASCP funding available to participating Licensees. If fully utilized, the Indigenous Business Credit Pool will support a $30M spend on qualifying Indigenous businesses.
To support these initiatives, the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence (COE). The COE will work with the SRC, Licensees, oil and gas service companies, and First Nations communities to administer the First Nations Stewardship Fund and the Indigenous Business Credit Pool.
