responsibly planning for the full lifecycle of a well

For over 85 years, Chevron Canada has proudly produced and explored for oil and natural gas products from wells across a diverse portfolio. At Chevron Canada, we plan for the full lifecycle of a well and aim to retire them with the same emphasis on safety and risk management as when they were operational.

On average, oil or natural gas wells have a lifespan of 20 to 30 years. When a well stops producing, we typically retire a well by:

1. Removing equipment: This includes taking out the pipes and machinery used during production.
2. Sealing the well: We fill the well with concrete or innovative materials like bismuth, to create a permanent seal. We then cut off any remaining pipe and casing below the ground level.
3. Capping and covering the well: We place a sturdy cap on top of the well and cover the area with soil.

This process is referred to as well abandonment and is done in accordance with regulatory requirements. Any remediation or reclamation work, including addressing contamination, replacing soil and revegetating the area meets regulatory standards.

As part of our Operational Excellence Management System, we strive to reclaim impacted sites, manage waste, protect water and natural resources, and mitigate the consequences of potential releases.

By planning throughout the full lifecycle of a well, we aim to leave a positive legacy in the communities where we operate.

Mitigating negative impacts to the environment and communities where we operate takes dedicated people, effective processes, and leading technologies and dedicated people. Managing our environmental impacts is how we get results the right way It’s part of our Chevron Way values, which underpins all our actions.

From planning and construction through operations and asset retirement, we work to reduce potential impacts to our activities using our Operational Excellence Management System, which includes the Environment Focus Area Strategy and Environmental Risk Management Process.

Chevron Canada’s environment strategy promotes systematic consideration of business risks and environmental performance alongside stakeholder expectations. It helps shape processes and procedures that can influence environmental metrics, workforce training, technology investments and external partnerships in areas such as:

The environmental risk management process is a framework to identify, assess, mitigate and manage environmental risks. This process is designed to be fit-for-purpose and aims to strengthen our safeguards.