The Canadian Securities Administrators have released a revised proposal for oil and gas disclosure standards.

The disclosure standards are set out in proposed National Instrument 51-101 Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities. They incorporate reserves evaluation standards and terminology set out in the new industry-developed Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook.

The proposal has been developed for the CSA by the Alberta Securities Commission. It is based on recommendations issued in January 2001 by the ASC Oil and Gas Taskforce and addresses many of the comments received on an earlier version of the proposal released one year ago.

The proposal reflects the CSA’s emphasis on continuous disclosure of important company information to investors and capital markets. Public oil and gas companies would engage independent reserves evaluators or auditors to report on their oil and gas reserves and related future net revenue estimates. A summary of that report, and other information concerning oil and gas reserves, properties and activities would be publicly filed each year.

“Investors demand, and deserve, timely information that applies clear standards. The oil and gas industry, which understands the importance of sustaining market confidence, has played a huge role in this process”, commented ASC chair Stephen Sibold. “We’ve been very encouraged by the interest shown in this project and are pleased to be moving forward with it.”

The proposal can be found on several securities commission web sites.

The CSA seek public comment on the proposal by March 31, 2003. CSA staff plan to have the new standards in place this year. Companies with fiscal years ending on or after December 31, 2003 would report using the new disclosure standards in 2004.