Offshore exploration and production company Nexen Energy is planning to start drilling offshore exploration wells in Canada’s section of the Atlantic Ocean in 2018.
To that end, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, has made funds available to assist the participation of the public and Indigenous groups in the federal environmental assessment of the proposed drilling program.
The planned drilling spot is located over 400 kilometres east of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in an area known as the Flemish Pass, in the Atlantic Ocean.
In a statement this week, the Canadian authorities said funding was available for eligible individuals and groups to assist their participation in upcoming steps of the environmental assessment, which include reviewing and providing comments on the Environmental Impact Statement or on the summary thereof, the draft Environmental Assessment Report, and the potential environmental assessment conditions.
Applications received by August 25, 2017 will be considered. Recipients and the amount of funding allocated will be announced at a later date.
As for the drilling program, Nexen is proposing to conduct an exploration drilling project within two offshore Exploration Licenses, EL 1144 and EL 1150.
The project would take place over an 11-year period, starting in 2018, and would allow for Nexen to determine the presence, nature and quantities of potential hydrocarbon resources.
The project would involve drilling between one and possibly up to five wells on each of these ELs, and it may therefore comprise the drilling of up to 10 wells within the Project Area over its duration.