Our industry has been working with the Nova Scotia government on ways to drive further exploration activity.
Nova Scotia’s Resources
Offshore
Nova Scotia’s first offshore well was drilled in 1967; the first offshore discovery was at Sable Island in 1971. To date, approximately 130 exploration wells have been drilled offshore Nova Scotia, yielding 24 significant discoveries.
Canada’s first offshore project, Cohasset-Panuke, commenced oil production in 1992 and ceased production in December 1999. It produced more than 44 million barrels of crude, was a significant contributor to the Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canadian economies, and helped to build offshore oil infrastructure on Canada's East Coast.
The Sable Project is currently averaging around 450 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The Sable project is the first offshore natural gas development in Canadian history and the first commercial development of what appears to be significant gas reserves in Atlantic Canada. Nova Scotia's second natural gas development, Deep Panuke, received regulatory approval and project section in 2007 and first gas is expected in 2010.
Onshore
Petroleum exploration has been conducted in Nova Scotia’s onshore sedimentary basins since the 1860s. Currently companies hold 12 exploration agreements and two coal gas agreements onshore Nova Scotia. Over 110 exploration wells have been drilled in various parts of the province, with small amounts of petroleum discovered in about one-third of these wells.
In addition to the potential for conventional oil and gas, coalbed methane (natural gas from coal) from the extensive onshore coal seams in the northern mainland and Cape Breton is being actively pursued.
Research and Development Initiatives
The Government of Nova Scotia funds two research entities dedicated to the offshore. The Offshore Energy Technical Research Association will encourage research into Nova Scotia's offshore petroleum geology. The Offshore Energy Environmental Research Association sponsors studies on a variety of environmental matters.
Deep Panuke
Nova Scotia's second natural gas development, EnCana Corporation's Deep Panuke project, received regulatory approval and project section in 2007 and first gas is expected in 2010. For more information please visit the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board.