Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To determine compliance with the Oil, Gas and Salt Resources Act, related regulations, technical standards and policies by conducting audits, inspections and annual reviews of licensed well operations e.g. natural gas, oil, brine and salt resources production or storage, and unlicensed wells, to ensure public safety, environmental protection and sustainable resource management.
To provide technical expertise and advice about compliance to internal and external clients.
To support Enforcement Branch with investigations and legal proceedings by providing information and testimony when required.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Job requires:
1. Responding to public complaints and industry notifications about oil field fluid spills/leaks and gas releases by carrying out inspections, assessing areas of non-compliance, documenting the findings, providing an associated deadline for remedial work and engaging other government agencies as required e.g. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

2. Planning and undertaking inspections, audits and review of various required documentation to ensure compliance for large and small scale oil, gas brine and salt producing/storage operations from priorities established in the Annual Compliance Operating Plan and if necessary, scheduling follow-up inspections to determine if compliance was achieved, or referring the files to the Ministry's Enforcement Branch or other government agencies for investigation.

3. Documenting findings/actions from field observations to prepare accurate Inspection Reports. Analysing the inspection results and options for achieving compliance e.g. verbal instruction, Inspector's Orders, tagging a well, etc. that are available to the Inspector in the Oil, Gas and Salt Resources Act.

4. Preparing, issuing, serving and defending Inspector Orders and making recommendations on further enforcement action when compliance is not achieved. Providing information to Enforcement Branch to assist Conservation Officers with development of Crown Briefs, preparing will say statements, and testifying before courts as part of legal proceedings or judicial boards e.g. Mining and Lands Commissioner's Hearings for claims against the Crown.

5. Supporting medium and long term resource management planning and operational decisions in the Petroleum Operations Section by working with technical and administrative staff as part of a functional team to ensure compliance priorities are being considered relative to other Ministry program areas (e.g. fish, wildlife, lands, waters, natural heritage, public safety); participating in the preparation and implementation of annual compliance operating plans and risk based compliance assessments to prioritize inspections activities related to these priorities and for program level reporting purposes.

6. Communicating petroleum resource management information, including requirements of provincial Acts, regulations, policies and technical standards, to the public, clients, partners, resource industries, other government and Aboriginal peoples by making presentations, attending meetings, speaking to the media, drafting media releases, preparing technical reports, correspondence, briefing notes, Minister's letters and responding to information and data requests.

7. Assisting other government ministries (e.g. Labour, Environment and Climate Change), municipalities and inspection/enforcement agencies (e.g. Technical Safety Standards Association) by providing technical information and expert advice on shared compliance interests or if other issues related to their mandate have been identified.

8. Assisting in program administration by reviewing documentation submitted by operators, entering data into databases e.g. Petro GIS, OPDS, checking for accuracy and evaluating information for follow-up of potential non-compliance issues.

9. Working in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its Regulations and any workplace practices as directed by the employer and shall take precautions to protect the health and safety of themselves and others by complying with such acts, codes, policy, procedures or accepted workplace practices as may be appropriate. Shall advise workers of actual and potential dangers in the workplace and the required precautions.

10. Participating in the delivery of other resource management programs to support Petroleum Operations Section priorities and initiatives e.g. Petroleum Leadership Team, Compliance Handbook, Examiner Program Review, and Registration of Works.

11. Other duties: Management has right to assign other duties.

Staffing and Licensing :

Valid Class G Ontario driver's licence to drive to sites. Ability to attain Hydrogen Sulphide Gas Safety Training certificate. Ability to attain Well Site Blowout Prevention training certificate.

Knowledge :

Knowledge of inspection, the Oil, Gas and Salt Resources Act and related regulations, pertinent sections of other relevant provincial statutes and regulations (e.g. Provincial Offences Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Gas and Oil Leases Act); National Standards such as: American Petroleum Institute Standards, Canadian Standards Association Standards; and program policies and procedures to conduct field inspections, audits and licence reviews to determine compliance, identify contraventions and issue Inspector Orders; provide technical leadership, advice and training to staff, resource industries, Aboriginal peoples, clients, interest groups and the public, respond to requests for assistance and information on matters such as legal requirements for licensing, mandatory resource related reports. Knowledge of the oil and gas industry in Ontario.
Knowledge of ministry resource planning programs and objectives, related legislation and regulations (e.g. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Federal Fisheries Act, Public Lands Act, Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act, Ontario Water Resources Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Environmental Bill of Rights) related to fish, wildlife, lands and waters to participate in long range planning processes that align inspection priorities with these program areas for environmental protection (e.g. surface and ground water resources), public safety and sustainable resource management.
Knowledge of ministry policies, procedures, guidelines and manuals (e.g. Provincial Operating Standards, Private Gas Well Policy, Natural Heritage Policy Statements, compliance handbooks) to ensure petroleum resource operations comply with provincial standards and ecological sustainability, to support review of licence applications and transfers and to recommend approval of Registration of Works/amendments consistent with these requirements.
Knowledge of petroleum resource management operations and techniques (e.g. site rehabilitation, drilling and plugging) to safely monitor, assess and evaluate field operations as part of site inspections and audits, determine personal protective equipment needs, consult with partners/stakeholders and reviewing progress and results to meet resource sustainability and compliance objectives.
Knowledge of landowner/operator/contractor relations and operator accountabilities to develop and maintain effective relationships for the purpose of achieving compliance with the Act, Regulations and technical standards.
Knowledge of investigative techniques to carry out field inspections, interview contractors, operators and landowners, gather all relevant information and issue Inspector Orders.
Knowledge of court/inquest appeal procedures, relevant case law, rules of evidence, practices and processes to assist with the development of Crown briefs, assist Crown Attorney in legal actions by testifying before courts or judicial boards, and preparing, issuing, serving and defending orders under appeal and or judicial review for non-compliance files that proceed to investigation.
Knowledge of theories, techniques, processes, practices, issues, work procedures, equipment, management and operational policies and practices in order to plan and inspect petroleum exploration, production and underground storage operations and salt solution mining, field operational practices and petroleum gathering pipeline systems for compliance; and to respond to alleged incidences of oil field fluid spills, unsafe and non-compliant practices.
Knowledge of production trends, new developments in drilling technology and geological hazards in the field to identify and evaluate safety hazards regarding high pressure mechanical processes, and physical risks in the workplace location when conducting inspections.
Knowledge of petroleum operations workplace safety and associated Occupational Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations that apply to the employee to conduct inspections within a safe and healthy environment (e.g. personal protective equipment needs).
Knowledge of working with natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, crude oil and other associated petroleum products to ensure safe work practices by applying industry standard policies and procedures. Knowledge of operating in hazardous and inclement environments with inherently dangerous products, including hydrogen sulphide, sulphur water, brine and other petroleum by-products by conducting oneself within the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations, and any other workplace policies, procedures or practices, and also communicating these potential hazards/unsafe situations to landowners, interest groups, partners etc. when required.
Knowledge of information technology systems in order to use sector and work planning systems, and to input/access information data systems (e.g. Ontario Petroleum Data System, Petro GIS) for planning inspection activities and reporting purposes. Knowledge of computer software applications (such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations) to prepare letters, tables, industry and public presentations and use electronic mail.

Skills :

Job requires:
Verbal communication and interpersonal skills to ensure compliance from operators, landowners, contractors etc. in an assertive but respectful manner as appropriate to the situation, to deal with difficult or uncooperative operators, landowners etc. who may be upset or aggressive during inspections, to represent the ministry position relating to other programs e.g. Abandoned Works, Private Gas Well Policy, Examiner Program and to maintain good working relationships with other ministry staff e.g. enforcement and to testify accurately and effectively in a courtroom.
Oral and written communication skills to provide technical expertise and advice to both internal/external clients and stakeholders on the program and legislative/regulatory requirements, inform operators on the impacts of action and inaction to public safety and sustainable resource management related to compliance requirements, prepare clear and concise reports, officer notes, briefing notes, Minister's letters, make presentations, participate in public meetings and public consultation process as a ministry representative (e.g. information sharing, initiating partnerships), conduct media interviews, to respond to information and data requests and work with external clients/partners (e.g. petroleum industry, landowner associations, historical operators) to understand compliance priorities.
Analytical, judgement and problem solving skills to gather information, conduct inspections, audit reporting information, identify resource sustainability issues, assess whether operators practices are in compliance with legislation, regulations, policies and standards, determine strategies/action(s)to be taken and to provide technical input into resource management priorities as part of compliance planning; take initiative to assess compliance in potentially difficult or unsafe situations and to determine how to deal with difficult or uncooperative operators.
Planning, coordinating and organizational skills for own workload or coordinating workload in conjunction with other ministry staff based on resource management targets and priorities; to ensure timely review, assessment approval and audits of projects, initiatives, proposals and, licenses and plans requiring the coordination of several time sensitive processes occurring at the same time e.g. drilling and plugging operations and for assisting in formulating appropriate compliance strategies within ministry/division business plans/ budgets.
Willingness and ability to travel extensively for a provincial program and to work irregular hours.

Freedom of Action :

Work is carried out within the context of relevant provincial statutes and regulations related to oil, gas, and salt resources within the overall context of ministry and program business plans for fish, wildlife, lands, waters, natural heritage and compliance plans, administrative and program policies and procedures.
Job works independently with minimal supervision to provide front line program delivery of the ministry's inspection program for oil, gas and brine production wells, disposal wells, natural gas and cavern storage wells and salt producing wells located in Ontario to ensure public safety, environmental protection and sustainable resource management.
Job conducts on-site inspections of large and small scale oil, gas brine and salt producing/storage operations and/or reported oil field fluid spills/leaks and gas releases to determine compliance or identify contraventions by interpreting intent of legislation, regulations, standards and ministry policies and inspection findings.
Job exercises considerable latitude in making decisions on inspection outcomes (e.g. issuing Inspector's Orders in cases of non-compliance, and shutting down well sites by affixing a tag where there are more serious threats to public safety and/or environmental protection or recommending remedial action).
Job exercises discretion and initiative in: dealing with potential or actual difficult, contentious or unsafe situations (e.g. presence of H2S gas, explosions, emergency management), identifying how to best approach complex compliance issues, determining and recommending compliance options to the
Supervisor, e.g. whether files should be referred to the ministry's Enforcement Branch for investigation or seeking policy direction in situations that are unusual or an exception from normal policy/practice or where policy practice is not clear.
Job provides technical expertise and advice to both internal/external clients and stakeholders on the program and legislative/regulatory requirements, makes presentations, attends meetings, speaks to the media and drafts a variety of materials (e.g. media releases, technical reports, correspondence, briefing notes, Minister's letters) relating to compliance matters. Job also assists with development of Crown Briefs, prepares will say statements, and testifies before courts as part of legal proceedings or judicial boards. Job requires the performance of the inspection duties of a Provincial Offences Officer.
Work is reviewed through regular meetings with the Compliance Supervisor to ensure inspections align with compliance planning priorities. This includes both planned and unplanned activities.