Developments in Western Canada in 1969

Abstract

Western Canada includes the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba; the Yukon and Northwest Territories; the Arctic Islands; and the West Coast and Arctic offshore. A total of 3,147 exploratory and development wells was drilled in 1969, an 8% gain from 1968. Of the exploratory wells 27.6% were successful. Exploratory activity in Alberta was concentrated in the deep plains area adjacent to the Foothills front. Seismic activity and high cost drilling, commonly in the form of joint participation projects, centered on the search for prolific Devonian reefs of the type discovered at Gold Creek and Strachan in previous years. The Pan Arctic Oils Ltd. consortium actively progressed with their multiwell commitment drilling program in the Arctic Islands. An encouraging gas show was discovered in their Drake Point L-67 well on Melville Island. The southern Northwest Territories and Mackenzie delta region attained a high level of seismic and drilling activity late in 1969. Production of liquid hydrocarbons, marketable gas, and sulfur reached a new all-time high in 1967. Liquid- and gas-production increases were accountable to an increase in exports to the United States. The future of the Athabasca tar sands was brightened by approval of the Alberta Conservation Board to allow Syncrude Canada Ltd. to begin production of 50,000 b/d of tar sands crude on July 1, 1977. Sulfur production increased 24% in 1969. Remaining reserves of crude oil, natural gas liquids, and marketable gas all increased in 1969. The increases were essentially all creditable to Alberta. Land holdings by the industry increased to a total of 623 million acres, a 20.5% increase from 517 million acres in 1968. The major gain (70 million acres) was made in the Territories and Arctic Islands.