Frequently Asked Questions

Under normal circumstances all IP remains with the original owner. As stewards of public funds, ERA does require public reporting of the project outcomes and learnings which is the reason for the required license of IP, but business/competitive confidentiality is maintained. Upon funding award, ERA will enter into a legal participant agreement with the project proponent. The agreement includes terms that pertain to confidentiality and privacy for both ERA and the proponent. For more information on ERA’s privacy and confidentiality policies visit https://www.eralberta.ca/privacy/.

ERA collects and publicly reports key outcomes data, such as emissions reductions and job creation, for all funded projects on an aggregated basis. Public reporting of outcomes and learnings is required in order for ERA to satisfy its accountability obligations to the Government of Alberta. Application details are kept confidential on a permanent basis.

We will post all webinar recordings about the Methane Reduction Deployment Program to ERA’s website. There will be additional webinars added to the website in the future. For technology-specific training we suggest consulting your technology or service providers.

Yes, any natural gas engine that has methane slip is eligible for funding if there is a solution to eliminate the slip.

Measurement monitoring technologies are only eligible when paired with a solution which reduces methane emissions. Additionally, the monitoring technology must remain installed with the paired abatement technology throughout the duration of the solution. 

Past recipients are eligible for funding for new Methane Reduction Deployment Program projects provided their project is distinct from the work previously funded by ERA.  

Only brownfield (retrofit) projects are eligible. These are projects at existing facilities that involve upgrades, modifications, or retrofits. New construction or major expansions (greenfield projects) are not eligible. Greenfield projects include either a completely new site or an expansion that significantly changes a facility’s footprint, capacity, or function.

No. All projects must be completed within two years of the Participant Agreement execution date, or by March 31, 2029—whichever comes first.

Yes. To be eligible for funding, projects must achieve methane reductions beyond existing regulatory compliance. Activities undertaken solely to meet regulatory obligations are not eligible. The program is intended to support measures that reduce methane to levels above current standards.

For example, if a project reduces emissions from pneumatic devices from high-bleed to zero-bleed, funding would generally apply only to the reduction from low-bleed to zero-bleed. Projects are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If a technology is not on the list, proponents may still apply for funding. Please contact the program’s support team at support@mrp-deployment.ca for guidance on how to submit an application for an unlisted technology.

No. LDAR activities are currently ineligible under the Methane Reduction Deployment Program.

The program is limited to Upstream and Midstream oil and gas producers. Low-pressure and municipal utility lines that serve retail natural gas customers are considered Downstream and are not eligible.

No. New or existing flares used for the combustion of captured gas are not eligible. However, vapour destruction through combustors, incinerators, or catalytic oxidizers is considered eligible under the program.

Solutions such as advanced or predictive process control that directly reduce methane emissions within operations are considered eligible. While we cannot provide specific examples at this time, the program is open to applications proposing digital solutions—including machine learning or artificial intelligence—that demonstrate measurable methane reductions.

Monitoring equipment, whether stationary or mobile, must be paired with an eligible emission-reducing technology to qualify for funding. Additionally, the monitoring equipment must remain installed alongside the abatement technology to be considered an integral part of the solution. Technologies that only monitor or detect emissions, without contributing to emission reduction, are not eligible.

Multiple technologies can be aggregated into one application only if they belong to the same parent technology type.

For example, pneumatic electrification and pneumatic device vent gas capture solutions can be submitted together because they are both under the pneumatics parent technology. Projects involving different parent technology types, for example, a storage tank vapor recovery project (routine venting) and an engine retrofit project (methane slip), require separate applications.

A separate application must be submitted for each parent technology type. However, multiple sites may be included in one application if the same technology type is being installed at each site and all sites fall within the same economic region. (Reference: Alberta economic regions)

Project applications must be submitted by the participant. However, during the application process, participants may identify Eligible Contractor(s) they are working with. Participants may also invite Eligible Contractor(s) to collaborate on their application at any time. This enables Eligible Contractor(s) to upload supporting information required for the project application submission.

Yes. Participation in the program requires that facilities forego the ability to generate TIER credits or any Environmental Performance Credits (EPC) from funded projects. This requirement applies for the lifetime of the project.

Yes. Participants can stack funding with other programs. However, participants must disclose other funding sources and the total amount of funding cannot exceed 100% of project costs.

Yes. Projects may begin before receiving approval at their own risk, as long as work starts no earlier than January 1, 2025. Additionally, eligible project costs must be incurred on or after the program launch date (November 12, 2025) and before March 31, 2029. Please note that funding is only formally reserved once the Participant Agreement is executed.

Yes. Service providers must register as eligible contractors under the Methane Reduction Deployment Program. Project applications can only be submitted by registered participants (facility owners/operators). Contractors may assist with application preparation, but the participant (your client) is responsible for submitting the application and managing contract obligations.