Canada (oil shale)

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Production (current): 
0 barrels per day
Production (projected): 
20,000 barrels per day
Deposits (in place): 
15.00 billion barrels

The plot:

Dwarfed by tar sands bitumen reserves, Canada has significant oil shale deposits in many locales across the country. Some areas of oil shale have seen previous attempts at mining for commercial purposes. The Pasquia Hills deposit in Northeast Saskatchewan is being core-drilled and readied for commercial development of kerogen-based oil by Xtra Energy corp. (based in Calgary). Canadian oil shale companies are attempting global developments as well. In Canada, discussion around the possibility of oil shale being burned for energy directly in a fashion similar to coal continues.

The details:

  • Multiple deposits scattered around the nation-state.
  • Estimates of over 15 bn bbl in place, recoverable undetermined.
  • Currently no deposits are operational for extraction, mining for research and exploration has taken place most significantly in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario.
  • Xtra Energy of Calgary is planning an oil shale mining operation in Northeast Saskatchewan, in an area called Pasquia Hills. This area had previously been explored by Sun Oil (today known as Suncor).
  • Petrobras of Brazil has helped with R&D in New Brunswick, using Brazilian "Petrosix" technology.
  • Possibility remains of mining to burn alongside coal to provide electricity generation at power plants, particularly in the Maritimes. Several exploration and core drilling operations have begun and finished at the Albert formation in New Brunswick. Currently no commercial development planned.
  • Projected bpd/energy output: Currently n/a.
  • Canadian corporations are expanding into shale developments in other countries, such as Jordan.
  • Global Oil Shale Holdings is focused on two deposits in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for the possible development of oil from shale rock extraction.

Articles about Canada (oil shale)

Startup Company looking into oil shale mining in Saskatchewan
Apr 9, 2013
Questerre Testing Oil Shale in Saskatchewan   Wed, 9 May, 2012   Questerre Energy Corporation ("Questerre" or the "Company") reported today that it has recently...
Xtra Energy closing in on going commercial with Saskatchewan oil shale project
Apr 24, 2013
Xtra Energy Announces Completion Of Pasquia Hills Oil Shale Core Hole Drilling Program FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/  Xtra Energy Corp. (OTCPINK: XTPT), is pleased to...
Just the Beginning of Canada’s Filthy Tar Sands
May 7, 2013
Just the Beginning of Canada’s Filthy Tar Sands A Qualitative Jump Down a Black Hole May 07, 2013 Counterpunch by MACDONALD STAINSBY The breakneck pace of tar sands development in Canada is...
Core program indicates Saskatchewan oil shale potential
Nov 20, 2013
Core program indicates Saskatchewan oil shale potential HOUSTON, Nov. 19 11/19/2013 By OGJ editors     Questerre Energy Corp., Calgary, said results from the second core hole...
Beneath the tar sands is even dirtier oil, and industry is salivating over it
Apr 24, 2015
Tar Sands 2.0 Beneath the tar sands is even dirtier oil, and industry is salivating over it By Nika Knight on 12 Apr 2015 The price of crude oil has slumped to its lowest point in six years, and...