2024 Well Project

Project updates

Enbridge Gas retained Dillon Consulting to undertake an environmental study for these projects.

The study was conducted in accordance with the Ontario Energy Board’s (OEB) Environmental Guidelines for the Location, Construction, and Operation of Hydrocarbon Projects and Facilities in Ontario, 8th edition (2023).

The study will reviewed the need and justification for the project, described the existing natural, cultural, and socio-economic environment, evaluated the project from a natural, cultural, and social environmental perspective, outlined safety measures, and provided appropriate measures for impact mitigation and monitoring.

As part of this study, a virtual public information session was held online from June 12 to June 18, 2023.

Visitors were able to provide their input on the project by visiting bluewatermandauminwelldrilling.ca. Interested stakeholders, members of the public and the media were invited to take part. The last day for members of the public to provide comments for inclusion into the draft environmental report was June 26, 2023.

The virtual public information session has ended. You can view the slides from the presentation. You can also view the video presentation.

A Leave to Construct application with the OEB is not required for this project. Pending a positive recommendation from the OEB to the Minister of Natural Resources for the issuance of well drilling licenses under section 40 of the OEB Act, construction may begin in spring 2024. Enbridge Gas submitted its application and evidence in support of this recommendation to the OEB on Oct. 18, 2023.

On Nov. 28, 2023, Enbridge Gas filed interrogatory responses with the OEB.

On Feb. 14, 2024, the OEB issued its Report to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) recommending the issuance of well drilling licenses for this project, subject to the Conditions of Licence in Attachment A of the Report. Read the full report.

Project calendar

Indigenous and community engagement

For new construction projects, the collective input from stakeholders, including Indigenous communities, government agencies, municipalities, stakeholders, the public and landowners play an integral role.

In order to undertake a successful consultation program, we have developed a mailing list of government agencies (federal, provincial, and municipal), Indigenous communities, and potential interest groups that may have an interest in the study. Enbridge Gas also hosted a virtual public information session as part of the study. Details about the session were provided in the Notice of Study Commencement and Virtual Public Information Session, which is linked below.

As part of the initial phase of the study, we are collecting information on cultural, socio-economic, natural environment, at the proposed well sites. Examples of data being collected include information on archaeological and heritage resources, terrestrial and aquatic vegetation and wildlife, groundwater, surface water, soils, geology, existing infrastructure, and human occupancy and resource use in the area.

Public notification

Virtual public information session

Stakeholder consultation is an important part of this study. Members of the public, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders were invited to attend the virtual information session to review the project and to provide comments.

Date: Materials were available at bluewatermandauminwelldrilling.ca from June 12-18, 2023.

The virtual public information session has now ended. You can view the slides from the presentation. You can also view the video presentation.

Project commencement letters

Notice of upcoming project letters were sent out to the Ontario Pipeline Coordinating Committee, agencies, local municipalities, directly and indirectly affected landowners, and Indigenous communities in early May 2023. The notice of study commencement and virtual public information session letters were mailed out to these groups on June 1, 2023 .

You can view the notice of commencement.

Newspaper advertisements

The notice of study commencement and virtual public information session was published in the Petrolia Lambton Independent on June 1, 2023.

Regulatory information

A Leave to Construct application with the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) is not required for this project. Pending a positive recommendation from the OEB to the Minister of Natural Resources for the issuance of well drilling licences under section 40 of the OEB Act, construction may begin in spring 2024. Enbridge Gas submitted its application and evidence in support of this recommendation to the OEB on Oct. 18, 2023.

On Feb. 14, 2024, the OEB issued its Report to the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) recommending the issuance of well drilling licenses for this project, subject to the Conditions of Licence in Attachment A of the Report. Read the full report.

Environmental study

In accordance with the OEB's “Environmental Guidelines for the Location, Construction, and Operation of Hydrocarbon Projects and Facilities in Ontario, 8th edition (2023)”, Enbridge Gas retained the services of Dillon Consulting, an independent environmental consultant, to complete an environmental study for the proposed project.

The purpose of the environmental assessment is to:

• Identify any potential impacts of the proposed project on the social, economic and natural environments.
• Identify local or provincial concerns regarding the proposed project.
• Determine preferred routing of the pipeline segments.
• Gather input from agencies, stakeholders, First Nations and Métis, affected landowners, and the public.

In addition, it recommends mitigation measures to limit impacts on the social, economic and natural environments. It is important to minimize potential negative impacts of the proposed natural gas distribution pipelines and associated facilities on the environment. The data, analysis and results of the environmental assessment will be detailed in an environmental report.

Read the environmental report.

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