What’s next for decommissioning?

The cavern site was partially constructed but underground cavern development has not occurred, and the site was never put into operation.

To decommission the site, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standard Z-341 will be followed per the approved Decommissioning Plan for Alton under the oversight of the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, which is the regulator that approved the well decommissioning plan.

In the plan, the previously drilled hole at each of the three well locations will be plugged, filled with cement, and capped. For the work, a service rig will be delivered by trucks to the Alton Project cavern site in late May.

Once on site, the rig will be assembled and operations will take place approximately 12 hours per day from 7 am – 7 pm, seven days a week. It is expected to take approximately 3-4 weeks to decommission the three wells. Neighbors to the work site may see increased vehicle traffic and personnel as equipment moves to and from the location during this period. For a photo of a service rig similar to the one that will be used for the Alton Project, click here.

Following all the well decommissioning work, the rig will be demobilized and trucked away.

At the project’s river site, activity to remove buildings and built features such as water storage ponds has been completed and restoration of the site is under way. Restoration includes seeding the dike and regraded areas to promote natural reclamation and return the site to its original use as much as possible per the approved plan to decommission the Alton Project.

See the updated schedule for decommissioning, the project Decommissioning Plan and related information at www.altonnaturalgasstorage.ca