Companies need to apply for an operating licence from the CER before they can do any oil or gas exploration and production related work or activity in the area of the north where the CER has regulatory responsibilities.
Activities include:
geophysical operations
drilling a well or changing the condition of a well
building and operating facilities
production
abandonment
Licences are issued to a company for a maximum of one year. They are valid from their commencement date (typically April 1 or a date after April 1 if they applied later in the year) until March 31 of the following (next) year.