Canadian Energy Regulator Onshore Pipeline Regulations, Orders and Guidance

The Canadian Energy Regulator Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR) are made under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act. Companies are responsible for meeting the requirements of the OPR to manage safety, security and environmental protection throughout the entire lifecycle of their facilities, from design, through to construction, operation and abandonment.

Regulation Review

NEW – Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR) Review

The CER is conducting a comprehensive review of the OPR under the CER Act to update the regulations. The CER’s objective for the OPR Review is to deliver a regulation that supports the highest level of safety, security and environmental protection, advances Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, addresses transparency and inclusive participation, provides for predictable and timely oversight and encourages innovation. A Discussion Paper has been posted to identify possible areas of change and to focus early engagement activity. A description of the review and overview of the Discussion Paper can be found here.

How to participate

Notification for Indigenous peoples (2021-12-14)

• Funding to support the review of the Onshore Pipeline Regulations
  Update – March 1, 2022 – Deadline has passed; please contact the CER about availability of funding prior to applying.
  • With the help of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, funding is available to support the participation of Indigenous peoples in the OPR Review. Please follow this link to find out more and about how to apply.
    • Funding Application Form [PDF 280 KB]

NEW – Onshore Pipeline Regulations Review – Discussion Paper
The Discussion Paper has been posted to identify possible areas of change and to focus early engagement activity. The Discussion Paper outlines questions for your input, which will assist with future policy and regulation development. Input may be submitted to the email opr-rpt@cer-rec.gc.ca, until 30 June, 2022.

• Notification for Indigenous peoples – Discussion Paper (2022-01-12)
• Notification for regulated companies and interested parties – Discussion Paper (2022-01-12)

Virtual Sessions

NEW – Virtual sessions will be offered to provide you with an opportunity to have additional context for the Discussion Paper, and to be able to ask questions to help inform your input. Please register by sending an email to opr-rpt@cer-rec.gc.ca.

• Hearings, Information Sessions and Conferences

Regulations

• Canadian Energy Regulator Onshore Pipeline Regulations (SOR/99-294)
  • Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the National Energy Board Act (Miscellaneous Program) (SOR/2020-50) and the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II on 1 April 2020, Vol. 154, No. 7, pages 475-497.
• National Energy Board Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR) Amendments – Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations
  In addition to the name and term changes made in the Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made under the National Energy Board Act (Miscellaneous Program), the updates also include non-substantial amendments made to the OPR. The OPR amendments were made in response to the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations’ 2013 review entitled The Regulations Amending the National Energy Board Onshore Pipeline Regulations. For more details on changes made to the regulations, please see the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement and the Regulations.
• For a summary of the 2020 Amendments made to the Onshore Pipeline Regulations, please consult the table.

Related Orders

• National Energy Board Order AO-001-MO-006-2016 which Varies Order MO-006-2016 Compelling Publication of Emergency Procedures Manuals [Filing A79720] (2018-01-17)
• National Energy Board Order MO-006-2016 Compelling Publication of Emergency Procedures Manuals [Filing A79720]
• Filing Emergency Procedures Manuals (2015-03-26)
• National Energy Board Order MO-08-2000 [PDF 45 KB]
  • Order for an exemption from section 17 of the Onshore Pipeline Regulations, non-destructive examination.

Guidance

OPR Guidance Notes

• Canada Energy Regulator (CER) Updated Operations Audit Protocols and Guidance Document (2021-07-06)
  • Canada Energy Regulator (CER) – CER Management System Requirements and CER Management System Audit Guide
  • Management System and Protection Program Audit Protocols
• Guidance Notes for the Canadian Energy Regulator Onshore Pipeline Regulations (updated 19 August 2021, for alignment with the CER Act (name and term changes), and the CER’s Online Event Reporting System)

Operations and Maintenance Activities

• Operations and Maintenance Activities on Pipelines Regulated Under the National Energy Board Act: Requirements and Guidance Notes – O&M Guidelines (2018-06-25)
  • Online Event Reporting System (OERS) – Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Notification – User Guide
• Operations and Maintenance Activities on Pipelines under the National Energy Board Act – Requirements and Guidance Notes (2015-07-17)
• Additional Information Requirements Relating to Fish and Fish Habitat and Navigation for Notifications of Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Activities (2015-02-19)
• Amendment to Regulation of Operations and Maintenance Activities on Pipelines under the National Energy Board Act
  The amendments are included in the attached revised O&M Guidelines, effective on 01 January 2013. (2012-11-20)

Pressure Vessels and Equipment

• Guidance Notes for Pressure Equipment under National Energy Board Jurisdiction (2003-08-08)
• Guidance Notes for the Design, Construction, Operation, and Abandonment of Pressure Vessels (2003-07-03)

Decommissioning

• Guidance Notes and Exemption Order – Decommissioning Provisions, Amendments to the Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR) and National Energy Board Processing Plant Regulations (PPR) (2014-12-05)

Reporting

• Changes to CER Online Event Reporting Guidelines
  • Canada Energy Regulator Event Reporting Guidelines
  • Results of consultation on the revisions to the CER Event Reporting Guidelines
  • Canada Energy Regulator Event Reporting Guidelines – Revised June 2020 [PDF 1134 KB]

Accountable Officer Appointment and Notification

Pursuant to section 6.2 of the Canadian Energy Regulator Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR), a company must appoint an accountable officer who has the authority over the company’s human and financial resources required to establish, implement and maintain its management system and protection programs, and to ensure that the company meets its obligations for safety, security and protection of the environment.

A company has 30 days to notify the CER of the name of its accountable officer after the appointment is made. The accountable officer must also submit a signed statement accepting the responsibilities of the position. This requirement is in effect for all CER-regulated companies, and this information will be made public. For information on how to select the accountable officer, and suggested template letters, please see Company Submission Requirements.

Forms and Templates

• OPR – Company Submission Requirements
  • Accountable Officer Notification – Template Letters
    • Accountable Officer Selection Flowchart
  • Annual Report Notification – Template Letter

ARCHIVED – Onshore Pipeline Regulations, Orders and Guidance

Date modified:

2022-06-28