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Updated June 2020

The Alberta Gas Resources Preservation Act (first proclaimed in 1949) ensures that Albertans have enough natural gas supply for themselves first before any gas can be exported. Under the act, large volumes of gas are to be set aside for use before a permit can be issued to remove gas from the province. Any company proposing to remove gas from Alberta must apply to the AER for a permit authorizing the removal.

Short- and Long-Term Permits

The permit removal system in Alberta is split between short- and long-term permits:

Natural gas removals from Alberta are only permitted if the gas to be removed is in excess of the current and future natural gas core market requirements over a 15-year period.

  • Core market: Alberta residential, commercial, and institutional gas consumers.
  • Noncore market: Large industrial users who contract their own gas.

The AER calculates the estimated gas reserves available for removal from Alberta (see Table S5.5). Values are calculated after accounting for Alberta’s future requirements in core and noncore markets.

Gas available for removal from Alberta was calculated to be 222 billion cubic metres (109 m3) in 2019.

Figure S5.9 shows the volumes of natural gas that have been available for permitting in Alberta between 2009 and 2019.