Industry Recommended Practices (IRP)

Enform plays a vital role as the steward of Industry Recommended Practices (IRPs). An IRP is a set of best practices and guidelines prepared by knowledgeable and experienced industry and government personnel. IRPs are intended to provide management and operators in the Canadian oil and gas industry with advice on relevant topics. Our job is to coordinate the entire IRP process - from the development of new IRPs to the review, updating, and endorsement of existing ones.

The practices set out in IRPs form the basis for minimum standards for the industry. For example, IRP 1 discusses the minimum standards for critical sour drilling, and IRP 16, the minimum standards for basic safety awareness. It is important to note that IRPs are not regulations. When there is an inconsistency or conflict with any applicable legislative requirement, the legislative requirement prevails. As of August 2008, there are 22 IRPs - in various stages of development and review, or in finished product form.

IRPs in Progress

IRP Vol. 1 - Critical Sour Drilling (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 2 - Completing and Servicing Critical Sour Wells (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 3 - Heavy Oil and Oil Sands Operations
IRP Vol. 4 - Well Testing and Fluid Handling
IRP Vol. 5 - Minimum Wellhead Requirements
IRP Vol. 6 - Critical Sour Underbalanced Drilling (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 7 - Standards for Wellsite Supervision of Drilling, Completion and Workovers (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 8 - Pumping of Flammable Fluids (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 9 - Basic Safety Program
IRP Vol. 10 - Return-To-Work Program (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 11 - Dangerous Tree Control (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 12 - Hand Signals for Directing Vehicles (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 13 - Slickline Operations (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 14 - Non Water Based Drilling and Completions/Well Servicing Fluids
IRP Vol. 15 - Snubbing Operations (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 16 - Basic Safety Awareness Training
IRP Vol. 17 - Ground Disturbance and Damage Prevention(view PDF)
IRP Vol. 18 - Fire and Explosion Hazard Management (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 19 - Vacant
IRP Vol. 20 - Wellsite Design Spacing Recommendations (view PDF)
IRP Vol. 21 - Coiled Tubing Operations
IRP Vol. 22 - Underbalanced and Managed Pressure Drilling Operations Using Jointed Pipe
IRP Vol. 23 - Lease Lighting Standards