ABSTRACT
Exploration activity in Canadian east coast offshore regions was at a record level in 1985. Drilling was completed at 20 exploratory wells, 6 delineation wells, and 1 relief well. At year end, drilling was still in progress at 2 exploratory and 3 delineation wells. Seven new discoveries were reported: 3 oil discoveries and 1 oil and gas discovery off the coast of Newfoundland, and 3 discoveries of natural gas on the Scotian Shelf. In addition, 2 of the delineation wells encountered significant amounts of oil offshore Newfoundland, and 2 encountered significant amounts of natural gas offshore Nova Scotia on the Scotian Shelf. Estimated resources in the 39 offshore discoveries made to the end of 1985 are 205.1 million m3 of oil and condensate and 279.8 billion m3 of natural gas. There are currently 66 exploration agreements in effect throughout the region, covering a total of over 16 million ha.
Two exploratory wells were drilled in west-central Hudson Bay in 1985. Both wells were plugged and abandoned without testing.
In Ontario, drilling activity continued at a steady pace with 192 wells drilled: 67 exploratory wells, 100 development wells, and 25 wells classed as “other.” Sixty-three wells were completed as gas producers and 24 as oil producers. Oil and gas production in 1985 increased 25.1% and 7.8%, respectively, from 1984, to 112,952.9 m3 of oil and 589,746.6 thousand m3 of natural gas. The increased oil production was due almost entirely to new production from Trenton-Black River carbonates.
In New Brunswick, 4 wells were drilled in 1985. Three of these wells are waiting on completion; the fourth, a development well completed in Stoney Creek field, was abandoned as a dry hole.
In Quebec, drilling activity increased, as 23 exploratory wells were completed in 1985. Nineteen of these wells were reported as oil shows. Gas production from Saint-Flavien field was reported as 13,489 thousand m3.
