Alberta Oilfield Company approves $ 450K for illegal storage of industrial sewage

Alberta Oilfield Services Company has been fined approximately $ 450,000 for unsafe storage and was not authorized to accept it illegally with industrial sewage.

In a decision issued last week, Red Dear-based Teroco Industries Limited was punished by Alberta Energy Regulator for a 2023-summer violations in summer.

Investigations found that the company was illegally earning profits from storage of industrial sewage at its sub -state well disposal site in the statler, Alta. An agricultural-based industrial facility was inconsistent with the license of the sewage company and is strictly restricted to dispose of such highly centered waste within a deep injection.

The company’s founder and CEO, Terence O’Coner, admitted to the contract, but convicted his own employees or third parties who supplied fluid for violations.

In response to the investigation, O’Coner confronts allegations of interest against an AER inspector and claimed that the regulator had no jurisdiction on its company as he was indigenous.

The regulator dismissed the allegations and was alone responsible for the waste accepted to the ruled Teroco Industries.

The company has not responded to the remarks requests.

Unexpected sewage

The AER probe identified the five major contraceptives centered on the company’s statler disposal well, owned by the company since the 1980s.

The state is about 80 km east of red deer.

The most important violation was accepting and disposing of unpublished industrial sewage.

Investigations found that the company accepted 14,196 cubic meters wastewater in 40 days in June and August 2023.

The name of the waste -generating facility, the trucking company that distributed it, and the names of some AR officers were re -prepared from the decision of the regulator.

Violations due to risk to environment and human health were considered “major” violations.

By accepting unpublished substances, unpublished waste in this case may not be effective regulatory inspection by AER.– Alberta Energy Regulatory Decision

One of the samples of wastewater confirmed the presence of polyphloralocill substances, often called “chemicals” forever.

PFSAS is a complex group of long -lasting synthetic chemicals that cause adverse environment and health effects.

Industrial sewage contains significant amounts of non-human waste and high concentrations of pollutants compared to domestic sewage and under the Alberta law, the disposal of such waste through sub-collect injections is strictly prohibited.

“When an unpublished waste is obtained by a settlement facility, there is a possibility of increasing risk of adverse effects to the environment and human health, the full effect cannot be known for some time,” AER reads.

“By accepting unpublished substances, unpublished waste in this case may not be effective regulatory inspection by AER.”

Storage tank trouble

The investigation also found several deficiencies related to the storage tank of an above land, where industrial sewage was held.

These included a secondary control system, leakage detection or operating the tank without spill control equipment. The foundation of the tank was also designed improperly, which increases the risk that can eliminate it.

The company was fined for illegally generating revenue from storage of unauthorized waste, resulting in $ 298,980 of administrative penalty. The fine was also increased due to the degree of “Willful Negligence” displayed by the company.

The total fine was $ 448,980.

Terroco Industries failed to follow the previous warnings about its operating requirements, found in the investigation.

The AER also stated that it discovered shipping receipts, known as the Bill of Lading Ticket, that has been “seen” to align with the approved waste types for convenience.

Company officials denied that it had attempted to make the shipment incorrectly, but the regulator said that would investigate whether others had tried to mislead the company about the classification of waste.

In a written submission, the company’s CEO requested a “fair and just review” with a decrease in fines to further reflect deficiencies and proper hard work in Teroco’s decision and more accurately reflecting the deficiencies and more accurately, which was exploited by others. “

O’Coner stated that the AER investigation was influenced by “personal relations”.

He also expressed concern that the AER was only addressing the letters to him, that the investigation was focused on him, and suggested that one of his employees was threatened by an AER inspector – claims that the regulator denied outright.

From source

Company officials told the investigators that it had agreed to accept unpublished waste after discussing with a person with a trucking company, which was stopping the waste for any other facility.

Officials told AER that they “wrongly interpreted the trucking company” said that to deliver the waste to Teroco Industries, this means that the fluid was suitable for disposal.

O’Coner told the investigators that they believe that the company “had to do something with cattle” but assuming that salty water was being disposed of.

According to the investigation, the manager of the statler facility said that he was not given any formal training and had to learn “as he had gone.”

The AER report wrote, “Ons were largely placed on consinner and trucking companies instead of Teroco for upcoming waste screening.”

“Teroco’s site managers in the statler feature confirmed that there was a lack of formal training, a inexperience with lack of knowledge between the differences of the disposal wells and a inexperience with the disposal requirements.”

Jurisdiction challenged

At the July 2025 meeting between the company and the regulator, Teroco Industries challenged the jurisdiction of AER.

According to the AER report, O’Coner read a loud document, which he brought under the title “oral announcement” and provided printed copies to those in appearance.

The document “states that Terence is a sovereign indigenous person, AER ‘has’ no jurisdiction to postpone the matter’, and he believes that AER will release all the allegations.”

According to the AER, the company officials did not provide new evidence during the meeting, but said that the “wash water” inside the tank was relatively small and not industrial sewage.

Based on the company’s claim about wash water, some violations were adjusted fine. But the regulator rejected the remaining claims, confirming the jurisdiction of AER over the company.

The regulator found that there is no conflict of any interest and the investigation was widespread, fair and fair.

“Teroco, as licensed, is finally responsible for understanding the type of waste obtained and how it is managed,” the report states.