 |
|
|
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources |
|
|
B.C. INVESTS $5.7 MILLION IN OIL AND GAS
RESOURCE DATA |
|
VICTORIA
– The Province is investing $5.7
million in geoscience projects to enhance the exploration and development of
oil and gas in B.C., Minister
of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources Richard Neufeld and Advanced
Education Minister Murray Coell announced today.
“By
getting comprehensive resource data to the industry, we are stimulating oil and
gas exploration, investment and production,” said Neufeld. “British Columbia is
one of the most attractive oil and gas jurisdictions in North America. This
means more jobs, more revenue and more benefits for everyone in the province.”
The
Ministry of Advanced Education, through the Ministry of Energy, Mines and
Petroleum Resources, is providing Geoscience BC with $5.7 million for
geoscience projects such as regional airborne geophysical surveys, with a
particular focus on shale gas in the Horn River Basin in northeast B.C. British
Columbia reached a record high of more than $1.2 billion for the 2007-2008 oil
and gas rights sales. The exceptional sales
reflect industry’s strong interest in the Horn River Basin, the largest shale
gas play in Canada.
“Our
government is committed to investing in research because British Columbia’s
economic future depends on new knowledge, whether it’s related to natural
resources or new developments in genetic research,” said Coell. “Since 2001, we
have invested over $1.5 billion in research and leveraged more than $900
million in added research funding from other sources.”
The
funding will provide important geoscience data for the exploration and
development of shale gas and other oil and gas projects. This data will be
available to the provincial government, industry and the public.
“Geoscience BC is very pleased to be working in partnership with
the provincial government, particularly the Ministry of Energy Mines and
Petroleum Resources, to help attract new oil and gas exploration investment to
a key region in northeast B.C.” said ’Lyn Anglin, president and CEO of
Geoscience BC. “The results of this type of geoscience activity provide
benefits to all British Columbians by helping B.C. to capitalize on its
significant resource potential.”
The airborne
geophysical surveys will be conducted with airplanes or helicopters and may
include electromagnetic, aeromagnetic, gravity gradiometry, and light detection
and radar (LiDAR) surveys.
-30-
|
contact: |
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources 250 952-0628 250 213-6934 (cell) |
President and CEO Geoscience BC 604 290-1194 |
|
|
||
|
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
||
