A two-week research expedition off the coast of Nova Scotia will help to better understand the oil and gas resource potential of the offshore.
A team of scientists from the Energy Department and Natural Resources Canada will collect geoscience data, building on previous research to develop the Play Fairway Analysis.
The analysis is a geoscience atlas of Nova Scotia’s offshore oil and gas potential, including more than 120-trillion cubic feet of gas and eight-billion barrels of oil.
“We’ve seen how successful this approach to geoscience research and investment attraction has been with both Shell and BP each committing to $1-billion exploration programs,” said Energy Minister Michel Samson. “The more we know and can share about the resource, the greater our chance at realizing one of the most significant economic opportunities before us. We are pleased to be working with our federal partners on this research project.”
The Nova Scotia government is contributing $800,000 towards the research, part of last year’s commitment to spend $12-million over four years to grow the offshore oil and gas sector.
The collaborative expedition is an innovative seabed sampling program. Scientists at Natural Resources Canada have decades of experience studying the seafloor geology off eastern Canada and will provide scientific, technical and logistical support. The team will work from the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Hudson.
“Canada’s offshore industry is an important source of jobs and opportunities,” said Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “Our government is pleased to collaborate with the Province of Nova Scotia on research activities, allowing us to better define the offshore resource potential and position the region for economic growth and long-term prosperity.”
CCGS Hudson will leave the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in the next few days. The team will collect sediment cores and information about the ocean floor from deep-water locations selected with geophysical data and satellite imagery.
The research collected will be provided to industry and academia at no cost.
Source: Release
