Overall exploration expenditures were at an all-time high of about $405 million in Western Canada during 1965, up $70 million from 1964. As in previous years, most of the increase resulted from higher Crown land sales and, to a lesser extent, from increased wildcat drilling which reached a record high. Geophysical work remained at about the same level as the past 5-6 years but surface mapping continued to decline sharply. Most of the exploration interest and significant discoveries were in the Middle Devonian, in the Gilwood Sand of north-central Alberta, the dolomite beds of the Muskeg-Keg River Formations of northwestern Alberta, and the Slave Point reefs of northwestern Alberta and adjoining areas of British Columbia and the Territories.

Other highlights of 1965 were: (1) a sharp rise in land acquisitions, particularly in the Territories and Saskatchewan; (2) record production in all sectors (liquids, gas, and sulfur) of the industry; and (3) approval by the National Energy Board of new gas exports (previously approved by Alberta in 1964) from Alberta of 3.4 TCF (1.61 TCF for Alberta and Southern, 1.63 TCF for Trans-Canada, and 0.11 TCF for Canadian Montana) for approximately a 25-year period. The Board altered its previous rules for calculating surplus gas by changing from 30-year demand and reserves to 30-year demand and 20-year reserves. In establishing surplus, the Board also modified its previous stand by allowing reserves beyond economic reach to be included as surplus.

Comparisons below are with 1964:

I. Drilling Total Drilling up 311 (9.5%) to 3,579. 
 Exploratory Tests up 206 (16%) to 1,490. 
  Wildcat Discoveries—oil 125 (up 15): gas 91 (ud 11). 
  Outposts and DPTs.-—oil 109 (up 10); gas 61 (down 1). 
 Development Wells up 105 (5%) to 2,089. 
  Main Areas—Alta.: Swan Hills-House Mountain (Beaverhill Lake); Pembina-Willesden Green-Garrington (Cardium) : Mitsue-Nipisi (Gilwood). 
Sask.: Southeast Saskatchewan (Mississippian); Cantuar (Jurassic); Coleville-Dodsland (Viking K) 
B.C.: Nancy-Peejay (Halfway); Boundary Lake (Triassic). 
II. Exploratory Methods Expenditures up $70 million (21%) to $405 MM.  
Seismic down 5 months (1%) to 590 mos.  
Gravity up 1U months (40%) to 35 mos.  
Surface Mapping down 19 months (21%) to 71 mos. 
III. Production Liauids up 69 MBPD (8%) to 919 MBPD.  
Gas Sales up 210 MMCFPD (8%) to 2,780 MMCFPD.  
Sulfur up 331 long tons/day (8%) to 4,353 long tons/day. 
IV. Exports Liauids up 25 MBPD (9%) to 315 MBPD.  
Gas up 35 MMCFPD (3%) to 1.115 MMCFPD. 
V. Reserves
 (Proved remaining) 
Total Liquids up 640 MM bbls. (9%) to 7.7 billion bbls.  
Gas up 955 BCF (2%,) to 44.2 TCF.  
Sulfur unchanged at 69.1 MM long tons. 
VI. Land Holdings up 45 MM acres (15%) to 335 MM acres.  
Crown Sales up $56 MM (48%) to $173 MM.  
Crown Rentals up $6 MM (14%) to $50 MM. 
I. Drilling Total Drilling up 311 (9.5%) to 3,579. 
 Exploratory Tests up 206 (16%) to 1,490. 
  Wildcat Discoveries—oil 125 (up 15): gas 91 (ud 11). 
  Outposts and DPTs.-—oil 109 (up 10); gas 61 (down 1). 
 Development Wells up 105 (5%) to 2,089. 
  Main Areas—Alta.: Swan Hills-House Mountain (Beaverhill Lake); Pembina-Willesden Green-Garrington (Cardium) : Mitsue-Nipisi (Gilwood). 
Sask.: Southeast Saskatchewan (Mississippian); Cantuar (Jurassic); Coleville-Dodsland (Viking K) 
B.C.: Nancy-Peejay (Halfway); Boundary Lake (Triassic). 
II. Exploratory Methods Expenditures up $70 million (21%) to $405 MM.  
Seismic down 5 months (1%) to 590 mos.  
Gravity up 1U months (40%) to 35 mos.  
Surface Mapping down 19 months (21%) to 71 mos. 
III. Production Liauids up 69 MBPD (8%) to 919 MBPD.  
Gas Sales up 210 MMCFPD (8%) to 2,780 MMCFPD.  
Sulfur up 331 long tons/day (8%) to 4,353 long tons/day. 
IV. Exports Liauids up 25 MBPD (9%) to 315 MBPD.  
Gas up 35 MMCFPD (3%) to 1.115 MMCFPD. 
V. Reserves
 (Proved remaining) 
Total Liquids up 640 MM bbls. (9%) to 7.7 billion bbls.  
Gas up 955 BCF (2%,) to 44.2 TCF.  
Sulfur unchanged at 69.1 MM long tons. 
VI. Land Holdings up 45 MM acres (15%) to 335 MM acres.  
Crown Sales up $56 MM (48%) to $173 MM.  
Crown Rentals up $6 MM (14%) to $50 MM. 
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