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Chapter D6 ver. 2

OIL AND GAS SURVEYS IN INDIAN RESERVES

Table of Contents

Effective Date

This Chapter is effective April 1, 2004. It replaces Chapter D6 of the Third Edition of the Manual of Instructions for the Survey of Canada Lands.

Chapter Sections

General

  1. These general instructions apply where surface rights pertaining to oil and gas development on Indian Lands are being disposed of pursuant to section 27 of the Indian Oil and Gas Regulations, 1995. In general, this section covers surveys of well sites and other facilities related to drilling and production operations such as tanks, flow lines, and access roads, where the facility services resource development on an Indian Reserve.
  2. Specific survey instructions are not required for oil and gas surveys on Indian Lands. The surveyor is responsible for gathering all the survey and control information required to carry out the survey. Survey information is available from the regional office of the Surveyor General Branch.
  3. Before commencing the survey, the surveyor must obtain authorization from the Indian Band Council and any other party that may be affected by the survey.
  4. The general instructions in Chapter D1 apply to oil and gas surveys, in so far as they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Chapter.

Monumentation

  1. Monuments placed shall be of the type used for such surveys in the province concerned.
  2. For surveys of well sites and access roads:
    1. place monuments at:
      1. each change of direction; and
      2. the terminal points of an access road, or offset to the terminal points;
    2. computed intersections are required as a minimum when the boundaries intersect surveyed section lines; and
    3. subject to subparagraph 6a) ii), where an access road for a well site terminates at a surveyed boundary, terminal points may be shown by calculation when the two nearest monuments of the previously surveyed boundary cannot be found.
  3. For all other oil and gas related facilities, such as pipeline rights-of-way, place monuments at:
    1. each change of direction;
    2. the terminal points;
    3. intersections with other similar facilities; and
    4. intersections with surveyed boundaries that define non oil and gas interests.
  4. Along a linear facility, place monuments on one boundary or on the surveyed traverse line.

Survey Methods

  1. Survey connections shall be made to structures of a permanent nature, such as the well casing, wellhead equipment, or concrete foundations that may serve as permanent reference.
  2. If the position of any monument shown on a prior official plan of survey is re-established in the course of carrying out a survey under this Chapter, the re-established monument must be shown on the oil and gas plan. In addition, official field notes must be prepared in accordance with Chapter D1.
  3. Lands occupied by individual band members, which are required for oil and gas purposes should be located to an accuracy sufficient to compute the areas thereof. The boundaries of such individual holdings should be determined in consultation with the band and the band member.

Plan Preparation

  1. Oil and gas plans shall be prepared in accordance with the guidelines in Appendix E3.
  2. The oil and gas plan shall be similar in form to specimen plans SP6-1 or SP6-2.
  3. Where the area surveyed is for an additional area to be added to a parcel on an existing legal survey plan the surveyor may in consultation with the applicant:
    1. submit a plan of the entire area applied for; or
    2. submit a plan showing only the additional area required.
  4. Give in the title of the plan:
    1. the corporate name of the applicant for the surface rights; and
    2. the name or number assigned to each well site by the provincial conservation authority.
  5. The bearing statement and method of depiction may be of the form used for such surveys in the province concerned.
  6. Show in the diagram of the plan:
    1. the boundaries of the parcel required for oil and gas purposes with the lengths and bearings of the lines;
    2. the location of those portions of individual land holdings affected by the area applied for;
    3. the position of each well related to the boundaries of any unit of land used for the spacing of oil and gas wells; and
    4. areas required in each section, quarter section, other surveyed parcel or parcel of land under separate band member occupancy for:
      1. the well site or other facility;
      2. the access or other road; and
      3. flow lines or other pipeline rights-of-way.

Approvals and Certifications

  1. The plan of survey shall be signed by an authorized representative of the applicant.
  2. The surveyor shall provide on the plan a statement of responsibility in accordance with section 38 of the Canada Lands Surveyors Regulations.
  3. The plan of survey is reviewed by the Surveyor General or a person designated by the Surveyor General to review such plans. The plan, prepared on polyester film, is recorded in the Canada Lands Surveys Records if it conforms with these general instructions.

Returns

  1. Oil and gas plans are delivered directly to the applicant (the Oil Company). The applicant shall deliver signed copies to the Executive Director of Indian Oil and Gas Canada. The Executive Director forwards one signed copy to the Surveyor General Branch for review.
  2. Submit to the regional office of the Surveyor General Branch for examination and recording in the Canada Lands Surveys Records any field notes prepared under paragraph 10.

Specimen Plans

Note

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