In an effort to help you better understand the importance of measurement schematics to your operations for Alberta's Energy Regulations (AER) we gathered a list of questions were most frequently asked about, while demonstrating how Emerson's cloud-based Zedi Measurement Schematics application can help meet these requirements.
General questions producers inquire about regarding AER regulation are many, but here are the answers to the most often asked, and of course we're always here to help you with any additional questions or help you may need.
1) What facilities do I need to create measurement schematics for?
Producers must have a well detailed measurement schematic for all active facilities, with no grandfathering for active facilities. Any reactivated facility must have an up-to-date schematic within three months of reactivation or after the implementation period, whichever is later.
Elements and information presented in a schematic must be clear and inclusive. How they are shown is up to the Operator, but the preference is 1 to 2 pages for each facility. Data can be stored electronically and/or in hard copy format.
Note: PFDs and P&IDs are not considered measurement schematics.
We provide customers with a customized program to meet your needs and help with implementation and training, so you can start creating schematics that meet Alberta's regulatory and audit standards.
The online application is integrated within the Emerson's Zedi Access platform. It provides a customized toolbar with standard symbols to make sure every drawing is consistent, making it easier to read and compare. In addition, it offers links to track the flow of production of any devices reporting to Emerson Zedi Access.
2) Who is responsible for measurement schematics?
The Operator is responsible for the creation, confirmation, and revision of any measurement schematics used. “Operator” is defined in the Oil and Gas Conservation Act as one who “has control of or undertakes the day to day operations and activities at a well or facility or keeps records and submits production reports for a well or facility to the Regulator”.
Which is to say that the operator and accountant must work together to ensure what is on the schematic is correct and reported accordingly, even if they are separate entities.
Your staff can create and manage a variety of schematics as well as efficiently manage updates. Our automated workflow will notify others of changes and will send schematics to the correct stakeholders for approval.
Communication between your field technicians and office staff will improve. Increased operational visibility will also lead to faster identification of measurement issues to speed troubleshooting.
3) How long do I need to keep my schematics on file?
A master copy must be retained with previous versions for a minimum of 18 months in Alberta, Canada. Your company’s schematics are stored securely on our cloud platform, giving you unlimited storage space for your schematics.
4) How often do schematics need to be updated?
The master copy must be updated annually, including a documented record even when no changes occurred at the annual update.
Assign users authorizations to view, edit and approve for an unlimited number of users that you identify, while getting notified of any changes or edits as you set. The system automatically tracks revision history for auditing purposes while also managing and tracking document reviews and approvals.
5) Who do I provide the schematics to?
Schematics must be provided by the Operator to the following external parties upon request:
- Facility licensee of the subject facility
- The company(s) that performs the volumetric reporting for the facility
- The company(s) that performs the product and residue gas allocation up to the allocation point(s)
- AER or other regulatory bodies
- Operator of receipt and disposition points (all reporting measurement points for the facility only)
Personnel with the proper authorizations will be able to access schematics, anytime, anywhere, from any web-enabled device. All schematics can be exported and sent to parties outside your organization.
Hopefully, with these answers, you have a better idea of what the AER regulations require and how utilizing our cloud-based application Zedi Measurement Schematics to store, create, and edit can help keep your organization compliant.
