Oil sands tenure guidelines

This overview of oil sands tenure includes an introduction to the oil sands guidelines.

Tenure guidelines

Read the Alberta oil sands tenure guidelines 2020. The guidelines, including principles, procedures and appendices:

  • interpret the relevant tenure legislation (statutes and regulations)
  • communicate policy with respect to application of the legislation

Application of the Oil Sands Tenure Regulation in specific situations may vary. Implementation and practice of the regulation may change without the guidelines being amended.

Required resources

The following resources are required for the oil sands tenure process.

Leases and permits

Ten days after a public offering, agreements documents are posted on the Electronic Transfer System. The agreement’s designated representative must pick up documents electronically.

These documents include permits and leases. Here are samples of both:

Escalating rent

Non-producing continued leases are subject to payment of escalating rent. Charging additional rent for continued leases that are not being produced serves to promote the development of oil sands resources. Lessees cannot simply hold leases without producing.

When an oil sands lease is subject to escalating rent, the additional rent payment is based upon where the escalating rent area agreement is situated.

See a map of these areas:

For help reading this map, use:

Find oil sands royalty projects map, leased areas and designated areas in Energy maps or see oil sands publications for more information.

The Alberta Energy Regulator provides a systems and tools collection that includes other maps.

Contact

Connect with Oil Sands, Coal and Mineral Operations:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)

Email:
Oil Sands Royalty Project Applications and Compliance [email protected]
Oil Sands Royalty Administration [email protected]
Oil Sands Royalty Information Management [email protected]
Oil Sands Tenure [email protected]

Mailing Address:
Alberta Energy and Minerals
Oil Sands, Coal and Mineral Operations
6th floor, Petroleum Plaza, North Tower
9945 108 Street
Edmonton Alberta  T5K 2G6