The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board
(C-NLOPB) released its Annual Report today for the fiscal year 2010-11.
The C-NLOPB Annual Report includes highlights from the areas of Safety, Environmental Protection, Resource Management, Exploration, Land Rights Issuance and Industrial Benefits.
2010-11 was an exceptionally busy year for the C-NLOPB, especially in the areas of safety and environmental protection. The Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry (OHSI) Phase I Report containing 29 recommendations was submitted to the C-NLOPB in November 2010.
Following the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, the offshore oil and gas industry came under added scrutiny. In the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area, a deep water exploration well in the Orphan Basin was drilled in May 2010. Prior to drilling, the C-NLOPB conducted an internal review and developed several additional oversight measures. All activities were completed without incident.
The C-NLOPB participated in and chaired the Steering Committee for the Third International Offshore Safety Conference, which was held in Vancouver, B.C.. The conference was organized in partnership with the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) and the National Energy Board (NEB). It focused on offshore safety and well control and brought together regulators, government and offshore oil companies to explore best practices in offshore drilling.
Successful bids were received on both parcels offered in the 2010 Call for Bids. Two successful Exploration Licences bids totaling over $95,000,000 were received as well as a successful bid of over $1.2 million for a Significant Discovery Licence (SDL).
In 2010, expenditures related to work in the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area amounted to $1.87 billion, directly accounting for 28% of the province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As of December 31, 2010, over four thousand people worked in direct support of petroleum activity in the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.
In 2010, the C-NLOPB completed expansion of the Core Storage and Research Centre (CSRC). This will facilitate core storage for well into the future.
The Annual Report is available from the Board’s website at www.cnlopb.nl.ca or by e-mailing a request to information@cnlopb.nl.ca.
Media Contact:
Sean Kelly M.A., APR, FCPRS
Manager of Public Relations
(709) 778-1418
(709) 689-0713 (cell)
skelly@cnlopb.nl.ca