The bill renames the Act respecting natural gas storage and natural gas and oil pipelines (chapter S-34.1) as « Loi encadrant les réservoirs souterrains et certaines conduites ». The statute would govern exploration for and operation or exploitation of underground reservoirs and certain fluids, including hydrogen, as well as the construction and use of certain pipelines, while addressing the health and safety of persons, the safety of property, environmental protection and the energy transition. Fluids other than water, minerals in any fluid and underground reservoirs naturally present below the topsoil would form part of the domain of the State. The framework would not authorize or regulate activities prohibited under the Act ending exploration for petroleum and underground reservoirs and production of petroleum and brine (chapter R-1.01).

A licence would be required to explore for or operate or exploit an underground reservoir or certain fluids. The licence would identify the perimeter, depth and authorized activities; its terms of issuance and exercise would be established mainly by regulation. Licence holders would have to carry out prescribed work, notify owners, lessees and the municipalities concerned, and obtain written authorization before entering private land or land leased from the State. Work would be subject to rules on ministerial authorizations, site security, closure, redevelopment, restoration and financial guarantees. The bill would also establish a dispute-resolution process between licence holders and holders of mining rights, and would authorize corrective measures in response to a fluid leak, emission or migration, or another event causing or likely to cause harm. Documents and information submitted to the Minister would be public, subject to regulatory exceptions and the access restrictions under the Act respecting Access to documents held by public bodies and the Protection of personal information.

The bill would reserve to the State or withdraw from activity certain reservoirs and fluids, including those located within an urbanization perimeter, a protected area, a conservation zone or a protection area. It would permit the temporary suspension of licence issuance and set rules for municipal requests to lift or reinstate a withdrawal. The authorizations provided for under the statute would be limited to oil pipelines. The Government could authorize a pilot project for up to five years, extendable by up to two years, with standards and obligations that could differ from those in the statute or its regulations without compromising health, safety or the environment. Consequential amendments would affect, among others, the Act respecting land use planning and development, the Natural Heritage Conservation Act, the Act respecting municipal taxation, the Mining Act, the Act respecting the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, the Parks Act, the Act ending exploration for petroleum and underground reservoirs and production of petroleum and brine, the Act respecting the lands in the domain of the State, and the 2021 Act to amend the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife and other legislative provisions.

Natural gas storage licences in force at sanction would be governed by the new regime, and no new natural gas storage licence could be issued outside their perimeters. Existing authorizations would be deemed to have been issued under the new work regime. Pending pilot-project applications would continue under the new pilot-project chapter. Reservoirs and fluids within the vertical projection of protected areas entered on the register at sanction would be withdrawn from exploration and exploitation, subject to ministerial permission. The provisions would come into force on sanction, except for several provisions whose effective date would be set by the Government.