On January 25, 2017, the Regulator issued Well Suspension and Abandonment Guidelines and Interpretation Notes (Guidelines) under section 18 of the Oil and Gas Operations Act.  The Guidelines are effective February 1, 2017, and set out the expectations the Regulator has of operators when they apply to suspend or abandon a well.  The Guidelines also describe the expected timeframes for suspension and abandonment.

The Office of the Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations (OROGO) has also published a Summary of Consultation and Engagement Results, which captures the feedback received during the public consultation and engagement process and how it was considered in the final version of the Guidelines.