C-NLOPB to invite nominations soon for offshore eastern Canada bid round

Offshore staff

ST JOHN’S, Canada – Following this January’s Call for Nominations for Areas of Interest, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) has identified Sector NL04-EN in the eastern Newfoundland region as its focus for offshore leasing in 2020.

The board will announce a Call for Nominations (Parcels) later this summer and based on the results will design parcels for a subsequent Call for Bids in early 2020, closing the following November, pending board approval and ratification by the federal and provincial governments.

Successful bidders would be awarded licenses in early 2021.

Since 2013, C-NLOPB has identified sectors at the start of its land tenure process to alert Canada’s provincial governments, the oil and gas industry and others of an anticipated call for bids area with a longer lead schedule.

This allows additional time for exploration assessment, environmental and other considerations.

Offshore safety and environmental protection are paramount in all decisions, C-NLOPB said, stressing that its supports the Canadian government’s commitment to the protection of environmentally significant and sensitive areas, and will continue to work closely with DFO and others in this regard.

Sector NL04-EN partially overlaps two fisheries closure areas, the Northeast Newfoundland Slope Marine Refuge and the Orphan Knoll Seamount closure area.

C-NLOPB is also discussing with the governments ofCanada and of Newfoundland and Labrador potential new approaches to environmental assessments through a regional assessment of offshore exploratory drilling in eastern Newfoundland.

07/25/2018