(Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) The Canada - Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) has issued Call for Bids NS12-1. This Call consists of eleven offshore parcels, six of which are industry nominated. Nine of the parcels are in deepwater. Bids must be received by Wednesday, November 7, 2012 before 4:00 p.m. Atlantic Time. For the deepwater parcels, the Board will only accept bids from companies that have experience in the drilling of exploration wells in water depths greater than 800 metres in the past ten years.
“Parcels 1 and 2 are located offshore Nova Scotia in the Sable Island area where 23 gas discoveries have been made to date,” says Stuart Pinks, Board CEO.“Parcels 3, 4, 5 and 6 surround the recently acquired Exploration Licences by Shell Canada Limited in the southwestern part of the Nova Scotia offshore area. Parcels 7 to 11 are located in deeper water seaward of the Sable Island area where only 6 wells have been drilled to date.”
The Board has made detailed geoscientific assessments and regulatory information associated with the parcels available on its website at www.cnsopb.ns.ca.
The successful bidder(s) will be awarded an Exploration Licence subject to federal and provincial Ministerial approval.
While a portion of the lands has already undergone a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the remaining parcels will be assessed for potential exploration activities over the next several months which will include a public comment period. The SEA will identify any environmental issues that a successful bidder would need to address when performing a project-specific environmental assessment which is required before any activity can begin.
In addition, the public is invited to submit written comments to the Board on the lands included in this Call for Bids. Written submissions must be received by Tuesday, October 23, 2012, 4:00 p.m. Atlantic Time. Such submissions will be considered by the Board before an Exploration Licence is issued.
The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board is the independent joint agency of the Governments of Canada and Nova Scotia responsible for the regulation of petroleum activities and resources offshore Nova Scotia.
Written comments from the public should be sent to:
Director, Resources & Rights
Canada - Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
1791 Barrington Street
18th Floor, TD Centre
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 3K9
or via E-mail.
For further information, please contact:
Tanya Taylor White
Manager, Public Relations & Administration
Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board
1791 Barrington Street
18th Floor TD Center
Halifax, NS B3J 3K9
Direct (902) 496-0750
Reception (902) 422-5588
E-mail
Full Background Information including mapped location of parcels can be found at www.cnsopb.ns.ca