The new Oil and Gas Conservation Regulation under the Oil and Gas Conservation Act will provide the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) with the ability to hold companies accountable for controlling weeds and agricultural pests on their sites. For sites that do not have a responsible owner, the Orphan Well Association will be responsible for conducting required weed and pest control.
Under the regulation, the AER now has the authority to enforce the requirement that oil and gas companies conduct weed or pest control. Municipal weed inspectors will be able to notify the AER and trigger compliance activity.
The regulator can then take steps under the Oil and Gas Conservation Act and use tools available in the Responsible Energy Development Act to direct companies to conduct the necessary weed and pest control as part of the “reasonable care and measures” requirements under the law.
“Weed and pest control is an important issue for Alberta’s farmers that previous governments failed to address. These new rules will help ensure companies uphold their responsibilities to the landowners that host the oil and gas industry on their lands.”
“Agriculture is essential to Alberta’s success. Protecting our farmland from weeds and pests is critical, and that includes responsible management on oil and gas sites. By working together, we can make sure both sectors thrive. These updates help ensure clear expectations, stronger compliance and better outcomes across the province.”
“The Farmers’ and Property Rights Advocate Office welcomes additional supports for rural landowners in helping them effectively manage weed and pest control challenges associated with oil and gas infrastructure on agricultural lands. Leveraging the existing compliance and enforcement tools of the Alberta Energy Regulator will allow farmers and ranchers to realize increased crop yields while lowering operational costs related to critical vegetation management efforts.”
This initiative will help protect Alberta’s multi-billion-dollar agrifood industry and ensure two of our most important economic drivers co-exist and prosper. Preventing the proliferation of weeds on oil and gas leases will prevent weeds and pests from spreading to nearby agricultural lands and impacting their productivity. Dealing with the “weeds on well sites” issue was a recommendation of the Mature Asset Strategy.
Quick facts
- The new Oil and Gas Conservation Regulation will support enforcement of weed and pest control issues and will take effect on May 1.
- The regulation defines “reasonable care and measures” to include compliance with energy resource enactments, specified enactments, the Weed Control Act and the Agricultural Pests Act, which allows the AER to issue orders under the Oil and Gas Conservation Act to take reasonable care and measures and take enforcement actions as necessary.
- The second recommendation of the Mature Asset Strategy: What We Heard and Recommendations Report, released on April 3, 2025, addresses the need to support weed control on oil and gas sites to protect agricultural lands.
- After six months, Alberta’s government will review the weed control process and make adjustments, as necessary.
Related information
- Energy and Minerals mandate letter (Oct 2, 2025)
- Mature Asset Engagement Report
- Orphan Well Association