The upstream oil and gas sector is focused on exploration, drilling, and extraction of crude oil and natural gas. The sector plays a significant role in Canada’s economy, contributing to its growth, employment, and energy security. As the country transitions toward cleaner energy sources to achieve its net-zero targets, the sector is adopting various solutions, to reduce its carbon footprint and advance the lower-impact development of oil and gas resources, including enhanced processes and emissions-reducing technologies.

CSA Group standards support these efforts. Developed by multi-stakeholder technical committees comprised of members from industry, government, and general interest groups, our standards provide requirements and guidance for safety, operational efficiency, and environmental protection that can help enhance performance, mitigate risks, and reduce the sector’s impacts. Many CSA Group standards represent the technical requirements for compliance with provincial and federal regulations, a testament to the strength of our standards development process.

CSA Group standards for the upstream oil and gas sector address areas including:

• Design and integrity of onshore petroleum and natural gas wells throughout their lifecycle
• Quantification of vent gas emissions and design and performance criteria for devices for disposal of waste natural gas
• Improved environmental performance and reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
• Security and risk management in upstream operations
• Emergency preparedness and response to events that can affect people, property, or the environment

In addition, CSA Group provides the infrastructure for regulated facilities in Alberta, including oil and gas production, to show their compliance with the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Regulation. In coordination with the Government of Alberta, CSA Group operates two transparent registry platforms, the Alberta Emissions Offset Registry (AEOR) and the Alberta Emission Performance Credit (EPC) Registry. Other CSA Group GHG Registries, including the GHG CleanProjects® and GHG CleanStart® Registries, allow organizations committed to measuring, managing, and reporting their carbon management results to publicly showcase their emission reduction and removals.