A program set up in 2023 is seeing some decent results from the province as they're looking to clean up old oil wells.
The Inactive Liability Reduction Program, administered through the Ministry of Energy, has seen inactive wells in Saskatchewan drop by 1,083.
"In addition to responsibly developing Saskatchewan's natural resources, our ministry is the provincial oil and gas regulator, a role we take extremely seriously," said Energy and Resources Minister Colleen Young, "The ILRP shows how we regulate the sector in a way that shields taxpayers from liability risks, protects the environment and facilitates growth. We are fortunate to have reliable oil producers in our province who ensure they are investing in responsible and sustainable resource development."
The program works by helping oil producers with spending targets to manage and decommission inactive wells and associated facilities.
Oil producers put $228 million into the program over that time, almost double the province's target of $116 million.
"Reducing the number of inactive wells and facilities in the province is an incredibly important responsibility for oil and gas producers, and their commitment to the program was demonstrated by the industry nearly doubling the ministry's funding target. The success of the ILRP in its first two years is an example of how the best solutions come when industry and government work together," said Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers President and CEO Lisa Baiton.
The Ministry of Energy and Resources has a number of different programs dedicated to cleaning up old and inactive wells in the province.
The Accelerated Site Closure Program, which closed in 2023, allocated $400 million in federal funding to properly decommission 9,823 oil wells in the province, along with thousands of other related facilities and sites.