Category: Energy Page 1 of 55

AlphaBow Again Challenges AER Enforcement Related to Oil and Gas Closure Liabilities During Insolvency

On February 23, 2026

In Energy, Environmental, Insolvency, Oil & Gas

Decisions Commented On: Re AlphaBow Energy Ltd., 2025 ABKB 622 (CanLII) (AlphaBow ABKB); Re AlphaBow Energy Ltd., 2026 ABCA 35 (CanLII) (AlphaBow ABCA)

PDF Version: AlphaBow Again Challenges AER Enforcement Related to Oil and Gas Closure Liabilities During Insolvency

This post comments on two decisions relating to the ongoing insolvency process of AlphaBow Energy Ltd. (AlphaBow). AlphaBow brought challenges to the power of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) to require security deposits as a condition for transferring oil and gas licences from AlphaBow’s inventory. AlphaBow was unsuccessful at King’s Bench and then failed to get leave to appeal from the Court of Appeal.

This post provides some background to AlphaBow’s insolvency, summarizes the two decisions, and concludes with commentary on what AlphaBow’s ongoing insolvency process shows about oil and gas closure liability management and insolvency in Alberta.

Grading the 2024 AER Liability Management Performance Report

By Drew Yewchuk

On February 5, 2026

In Energy, Environmental, Natural Resources

By: Drew Yewchuk and Shaun Fluker

Report Commented On: 2024 AER Liability Management Performance Report

PDF Version: Grading the 2024 AER Liability Management Performance Report

In November 2025, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) published the 2024 Liability Management Performance Report (2024 Report). This is the third AER Liability Management Performance Report to the public on progress to reduce Alberta’s massive unfunded closure liability in the conventional (non-oil sands mine) oil and gas sector. We discussed the 2022 report here and the 2023 report here. In a positive change from earlier years, the AER has kept the 2022 and 2023 reports up on their website. While this allows the public to compare information in the current report with past years, it is noteworthy that the AER itself does not use the previous years to evaluate performance and the 2024 Report provides almost no discussion or analysis of the data set out in the report. This is one of the reasons why the 2024 Report receives an F grade.

A Final Lump of Coal for 2025

By Nigel Bankes

On December 23, 2025

In Energy, Natural Resources

By: Nigel Bankes and Drew Yewchuk

Matters Commented On: Notice of Termination of the federal environmental assessment for the Grassy Mountain Coal Project, December 19, 2025 and Bill 14, Justice Statutes Amendment Act, and Corb Lund’s no coal citizen initiative petition.

PDF Version: A Final Lump of Coal for 2025

This is our final coal update post of the year. We don’t have a court decision to post about, but there have been two noteworthy developments on coal. First, the Notice of Termination of the federal environmental assessment for the Grassy Mountain Coal Project, and second, Corb Lund’s no coal citizen initiative petition.

The Mess We’re In: Insights from the 1st International Colloquium on Closure Liabilities in the Energy Sector

By Kaitlin Schaaf

On November 21, 2025

In Energy, Environmental, Oil & Gas

By: Kaitlin Schaaf, Kathy Cao, Jessica Farrell, Andrew Simmons, Emilia Yassiri, and Martin Olszynski

Matter Commented On: 1^st International Colloquium on Closure Liabilities in the Energy Sector

PDF Version: The Mess We’re In: Insights from the 1st International Colloquium on Closure Liabilities in the Energy Sector

The 1^st International Colloquium on Closure Liabilities in the Energy Sector was a recent three-day event organized by Professor Martin Olszynski, the current Chair in Energy, Resources and Sustainability, and hosted by the University of Calgary Faculty of Law with the support of the Public Interest Law Clinic (PILC) and the Canadian Institute for Resources Law (CIRL). From October 3 – October 5, 2025, the event brought together scholars and practitioners from Canada, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom to address the challenges associated with environmental liabilities in the energy sector.

Major Projects and the Building Canada Act: New list of PONIs or PHONIs?

By David V Wright

On November 14, 2025

In Administrative Law, Energy, Environmental, Natural Resources, Statutory Interpretation

By: David V. Wright

Matter Commented On: Building Canada Act, SC 2025, c 2, s 4

PDF Version: Major Projects and the Building Canada Act: New list of PONIs or PHONIs?

This week, Prime Minister Carney announced a second tranche of major projects for fast-tracking consideration under the new Building Canada Act, SC 2025, c 2, s 4 (BCA). This short post provides an update on the context and then presents a draft glossary that tries to make sense of the unusual terminology and various types of projects and concepts falling within the increasingly broad mandate of the new Major Projects Office (MPO).