Imperial Oil looks toward closure in Norman Wells, N.W.T., with request for environmental assessment

Imperial Oil has asked the Mackenzie Valley Review Board to initiate a third environmental assessment related to its oilfield in Norman Wells, N.W.T. – this time, for its nearing closure.

In a letter to the board this week, the company said the assessment would help the regulator and the public understand "the potential effects, mitigations and monitoring associated with final closure." 

Imperial said it expects the environmental assessment would take between five to seven years to carry out – with a hearing phase anticipated in 2029 and a decision from the federal Northern Affairs minister the following year. 

Under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, the minister could decide to order an environmental impact review, adopt or modify a review board recommendation about what to do next, or bring in the minister of Environment for a joint review. 

Imperial said the assessment's outcome would be used as the "foundation" of its final closure and reclamation plan, and would be used when it applies to the Canada Energy Regulator and the Sahtú Land and Water Board to move ahead with closure. 

The review board will now decide what to do with Imperial's request.

There are already two other environmental assessments underway for Imperial Oil in Norman Wells: one for its entire operation triggered when Imperial sought to renew expiring water and operations licences, the other for its plan to replace a damaged pipeline. Both were ordered by Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated. 

Imperial Oil said in 2022 that it planned to continue producing oil in Norman Wells for another five to 10 years. A spokesperson for the company said in an email Friday that she didn't have an update to those production timelines.