The Upstream Oil and Gas Authorizations and Consultation Guide (the guide) is a central reference tool that identifies common authorizations—approvals, licences, dispositions, permits and registrations— required from the Alberta Energy, Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), Alberta Environment and Alberta Sustainable Resource Development for the development of upstream oil and gas activities. The scope of the guide includes conventional and unconventional oil and gas developments and activities, including in-situ oil sands but not including mineable oil sands projects.

Specifically, this guide focuses on authorizations required before the construction and operation phases and at the closure phase of projects. The guide does not deal with other aspects of the regulatory framework such as information reporting, inspections and monitoring.

The guide presents authorization information from two perspectives: Common Upstream Oil and Gas Activities lists seven common activities that industry undertakes along with a summary of authorizations required for each. Authorization Descriptions provides greater detail of each specific authorization.