The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) has identified a Sector comprised of parts A and B in the Eastern Newfoundland Region of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.

Sector NL03-EN-01A and NL03-EN-01B are described in the attached map and legal description.

Sectors are identified at the beginning of the land tenure process so that industry and other stakeholders will have a known call for bids area with a longer lead schedule, allowing additional time for exploration assessment and any other considerations. Sector NL03-EN-01A and NL03-EN-01B will be sub-divided into parcels that will be made available for licencing in a 2018 Call for Bids, pending Board approvals and Ministerial ratification of the required Fundamental Decisions. Any successful bidders would be awarded licences in early 2019.

Both parts of the Sector are included in the 2014 Eastern Newfoundland Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). The SEA examines the environmental effects which may be associated with a plan, program or policy proposal and allows for the incorporation of environmental considerations at the earliest stages of program planning. SEA involves a broader-scale environmental assessment (EA) that considers the larger ecological setting and consultation with a wide array of stakeholders. A project-specific EA that focuses on site-specific issues must be completed before any work can begin within the licence area.

For any lands entirely or partially beyond Canada’s 200 nautical mile zone, additional terms and conditions may be applied (e.g. through legislation, regulations, amendments to licences or otherwise) to any resulting licence from a Call for Bids (Parcels) in order to meet obligations arising pursuant to Article 82 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Offshore safety and environmental protection are paramount in all Board decisions. The C-NLOPB will not approve any offshore petroleum related activity until an Operator demonstrates that it has met all legislative and regulatory requirements and has reduced risks to levels that are as low as reasonably practicable.

Further detailed information about scheduled land tenure is available here.

Any parties interested in receiving email notifications on Scheduled Land Tenure related announcements can contact Stephanie Stack at sstack@cnlopb.ca.

Media Contact:
Sean Kelly M.A., APR, FCPRS
Manager of Public Relations
(709) 778-1418
(709) 689-0713 (cell)
skelly@cnlopb.ca

Petroleum Industry Contact:
Stephanie Johnson, P.Geo
Director of Exploration and Information Resources (Acting)
(709) 778-4246
sjohnson@cnlopb.ca