https://thenarwhal.ca Deep Dives, Cold Facts, & Pointed Commentary en-US Copyright 2026 The Narwhal hourly 1 https://thenarwhal.ca/yukon-chance-oil-gas-idle-wells/ Tue, 01 Jun 2021 22:24:31 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=29270 A plan to assess suspended wells in the territory’s Eagle Plains region is reigniting debate about fossil fuel development near the Arctic, where the impacts of climate change are hitting harder, faster Carol Linnitt In-Depth climate change Indigenous natural gas oil and gas wells Porcupine Caribou wildlife yukon Photo: Peter Mather https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-8-million-tab-land-rent-left-unpaid-oil-gas-companies-2019/ Fri, 22 May 2020 14:00:58 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=18937 Data obtained via a freedom of information request shows taxpayers are footing the bill for delinquent companies’ payments to private landowners, to the tune of nearly $30 million since 2010 Sharon J. Riley In-Depth Alberta Corporate Influence oil and gas liabilities oil and gas wells orphan wells Daryl Bennett poses near oil and gas infrastructure near Taber, Alta https://thenarwhal.ca/why-many-alberta-oil-and-gas-companies-arent-paying-their-taxes/ Mon, 20 Jan 2020 22:34:36 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=16511 The Rural Municipalities Association recently announced the outstanding tax debt they’re owed by oil and gas companies has doubled, to nearly $175 million in less than a year Sharon J. Riley Explainer Alberta oil and gas subsidies oil and gas wells royalties taxes Fox Creek oil infrastructure https://thenarwhal.ca/15-minute-approvals-alberta-plans-to-automate-licences-for-new-oil-and-gas-drilling/ Thu, 23 May 2019 18:39:12 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=11735 Lobbying records obtained by The Narwhal show that as Alberta’s new government has pledged a ‘rapid acceleration of approvals,’ the province’s energy regulator has been moving ahead with plans that mean the vast majority of new wells will be approved by a computer in a matter of minutes Sharon J. Riley Investigation Alberta alberta energy regulator Corporate Influence environmental law Jason Kenney oil and gas oil and gas wells orphan wells Pumpjacks Alberta wheatfield https://thenarwhal.ca/what-albertas-new-ucp-majority-government-means-for-the-environment/ Wed, 17 Apr 2019 04:48:58 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=10971 Regulations and renewables are on the outs and battles with environmental groups are in, as Kenney promises to accelerate approvals of energy projects, scrap efficiency measures and fund an ‘energy war room’ to fight anyone who criticizes the province’s energy sector Sharon J. Riley Explainer News Alberta Climate election Jason Kenney oil and gas wells oilsands UCP Jason Kenney Andrew Scheer https://thenarwhal.ca/regulator-projects-albertas-inactive-well-problem-will-double-in-size-by-2030-documents-reveal/ Tue, 09 Apr 2019 00:40:27 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=10825 Officials estimate the total number of inactive wells in Alberta will grow to 180,000 over the next decade and that it will take approximately 126 years to plug all the oil and gas wells in the province in preparation for clean up and reclamation Sharon J. Riley In-Depth Investigation Alberta alberta energy regulator oil and gas liabilities oil and gas wells Reclamation Alberta Redwater orphaned oil and gas wells SITE: 12-12-054-26w4 https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-issues-97-of-reclamation-certificates-without-ever-visiting-oil-and-gas-sites/ Fri, 29 Mar 2019 19:57:50 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=10685 Data shows Alberta is visiting far fewer sites for an audit than it has previously indicated, with the vast majority of certificates granted by an automated online system Sharon J. Riley Investigation Alberta alberta energy regulator oil and gas wells Reclamation Alberta oil well https://thenarwhal.ca/oil-and-gas-companies-owe-albertans-20-million-in-unpaid-land-rents/ Tue, 12 Feb 2019 20:53:19 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=9942 Payments to landowners made by government on behalf of delinquent companies up 840 per cent since 2010 Sharon J. Riley Investigation abandoned wells Alberta Corporate Influence oil and gas wells orphaned wells Oil and gas wells Alberta https://thenarwhal.ca/alberta-taxpayers-footing-bill-for-delinquent-oil-and-gas-companies-investigation-reveals/ Mon, 07 Jan 2019 18:14:56 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=9505 Landowners are supposed to get paid for wells on their property, but companies are increasingly defaulting, which means the Alberta government ends up picking up the tab. An investigation by The Narwhal reveals the province is almost never recouping these costs Sharon J. Riley Investigation abandoned wells Alberta Alberta Surface Rights Federation Corporate Influence oil and gas wells Oil wells in Alberta https://thenarwhal.ca/many-of-albertas-reclaimed-wells-arent-actually-reclaimed-government-presentation/ Fri, 07 Dec 2018 00:29:31 +0000 https://thenarwhal.ca/?p=9290 With the click of a button, oil and gas companies can receive certificates for site clean up — almost always without any on-the-ground inspection from the regulator — in a system one former inspector says is failing Albertans Sharon J. Riley In-Depth abandoned wells Alberta oil and gas wells Reclamation in Wainwright, Alberta on Monday, November 5, 2018. Amber Bracken