Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board

Department

Authority

Remuneration

Purpose:

The Canada-Newfoundland & Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) was created in 1986 through the Atlantic Accord for the purposes of regulating the oil and gas industry offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. The Board operates at arms-length from governments and reports to the Federal Minister of Natural Resources and Provincial Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology. The Board also has a reporting relationship to the provincial minister of Digital Government and Service Newfoundland and Labrador regarding offshore occupational health and safety matters. Decisions of the Board, referred to in legislation as ‘Fundamental Decisions,’ are referred to government for approval or rejection. Other Board decisions and actions are final, unless otherwise provided for in the legislation. Pursuant to the legislation, the C-NLOPB has four regulatory mandates: Safety, Environmental Protection, Resource Management and Industrial Benefits.

In 2022, the federal and provincial governments announced their intention to expand the mandate of the C-NLOPB to include the regulation of offshore renewable energy. As the C-NLOPB prepares for these new responsibilities and continue to regulate offshore oil and gas activity, safety of offshore workers, environmental protection and regulating in the public interest remain the C-NLOPB’s core values and continue to be the highest priorities for both C-NLOPB staff and Board Members.

As of March 31, 2023, the C-NLOPB had 102 permanent staff and its budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year is $25,800,000. In approving a budget for submission to Governments, the Board provides for adequate financial resources and appropriate staff to carry out the C-NLOPB’s legislative mandate.

Under the Accord Acts, specific responsibilities of the C-NLOPB include:

• Setting rules, procedures and processes for issuance and oversight of offshore interests and administration of petroleum rights (exploration licences, significant discovery licences, and production licenses);
• Approving all activities respecting the exploration, drilling, production, conservation, processing, or transportation of petroleum – with particular regard to safety and environment;
• Approving development and benefits plans; and
• Curating technical samples & materials (geological, geophysical and other information generated from oil and gas activities in the offshore).

The C-NLOPB Board also:

• Coordinates decisions on all fundamental matters defined in the legislation;
• Designates statute-required officers – Chief Safety Officer and Chief Conservation Officer;
• Approves a strategic plan and annual business plans;
• Establishes and monitors Board committees;
• Ensures compliance with joint directives; and
• Provides strategic policy direction in key mandate areas, including:
  • Health and safety for offshore workers.
  • Protection of the environment during offshore petroleum activities,
  • Management and conservation of offshore petroleum resources,
  • Monitoring of employment and industrial benefits,
  • Issuance of licence for exploration and development, and
  • Resource evaluation, data collection, curation, and distribution.

(For additional on the role of the C-NLOPB, please visit http://www.cnlopb.ca/.)

Structure:

The Board is comprised of seven persons; three appointed by the Federal Government, three appointed by the Provincial Government, and a Chair and CEO that is appointed jointly by the two governments.

Further information may be found here - Joint Management.

Competency Profile:

Those who make up the C-NLOPB Board should collectively possess the following core competencies: 

• Up-to-date knowledge of the Canadian and international oil and gas development and regulatory environments;
• Up-to-date knowledge of the Canadian and international offshore renewable energy development and regulatory environments;
• Experience with multiple perspectives on risk and risk management;
• Experience in managing an increasingly complex organization; 
• Corporate governance;
• Petroleum Engineering/Geoscience expertise (incl. registration with PEGNL);
• Experience in resource evaluation and licensing;
• Financial expertise;
• Legal expertise;
• International Business expertise;
• Experience with public policy;
• Experience with local benefits (employment, contracting, research and development);
• Human Resources and Labour Relations experience;
• Safety/Emergency Management experience; and
• Environmental stewardship and protection expertise.

Qualifications:

Individuals appointed to the board are expected to hold the following requisite competencies and experiences: 

• High level of analytical capability;
• Ability to effectively exchange information;
• Integrity and accountability;
• Commitment to safety and environmental protection;
•  Collaboration skills;
• Senior business or professional leadership experience;
• Experience in contributing effectively to strategy discussions and their implementation;
• Expertise and familiarity with financial information, legislative and regulatory compliance, public accountability, performance metrics, and reporting;
• Ability to bring a diverse perspective to the board;
• Sophistication and sensitivity in dealing with multi-stakeholder environments including provincial and federal governments and large global industry operators; and
• Independence - no direct or indirect conflict of interest.

Time Commitments:

Members of the C-NLOPB should be available to meet monthly. Any applicable committees of the C-NLOPB normally meet four times per year. Board members are also be expected to spend additional time to review materials and prepare for Board and Committee meetings. Many Board briefings include information containing industry jargon and complex technical information. Some travel to international oil and gas conferences may be expected.

Term:

The Chairperson and board members are typically appointed for a six-year term. Board members are eligible for reappointment.

The term of office is detailed in Section 15 of the Act and can be found here.