Regulating Activities and Forms
There are no freehold petroleum rights in Nova Scotia. All petroleum in or under Nova Scotia lands belongs to the Crown.
The Nova Scotia Department of Energy administers onshore petroleum rights as set out in the Petroleum Resources Act and Regulations. Rights are issued either as exploration or production agreements, each with different periods of tenure. Coal bed methane is currently issued as a separate right with a different tenure period and applicable royalty.
We are documenting the stringent regulatory process for approvals and rights issuance system to demonstrate the comprehensive regulatory process involved in Nova Scotia’s onshore petroleum activities.
We have also completed series of guidance notes to help industry understand the regulatory requirements ahead of time. Guidance notes and codes of practice allow more flexibility for industry, but clearly identify the outcomes the regulations require.
Forms are also included below.
Information Notices (IN) to Operators
Tenure
Forms
- Application for Coal Gas Exploration Agreement [pdf]
- Application for Conventional Exploration Agreement [pdf]
- Application for Coal Gas Production Agreement [pdf]
- Transfer of Interest [pdf]
Roadmap
Seismic
Guidelines
- Minimum Distance at which Energy Sources may be Operated [pdf]
- Final Reports: Format and Content for Seismic repords [pdf]
- Geophysical Weekly Report [pdf]
Forms
Drilling
Guidelines
- Guidelines for Completing the Authority to Drill [pdf]
- Guidelines for Completing an Environmental Work Plan [pdf]
- Guidelines for Preparing Emergency Response Plans [pdf]
Forms
- Authority to Drill a Well [pdf]
- Authority to Alter the Condition of a Well [pdf]
- Authority to Terminate a Well [pdf]
- Authority to Abandon a Well [pdf]