Canadian Oil Production

Canadian oil industry or Canadian oil patch has now become a major source of the state’s income. As per the 2005 statistics almost twenty five thousand oil wells are being drilled in Canada and near hundred new petroleum wells are spud in Alberta. Canadian petroleum industry is fast developing at par with the petroleum industry of America. However the process of development of Canadian petroleum industry is unique due to the peculiar geological and geographical conditions prevailing there.

The major petroleum exploration process in Canada is currently taking place in Alberta. Other provinces where significant draining of petroleum is taking place are British Colombia and Saskatchewan. Newfoundland is a place where massive off shore petroleum drilling activity is taking place.

The main source of conventional crude oil, synthetic crude and natural gas is Alberta. Two of the major petrochemical plants of North America - Red Deer and Edmonton are situated in this province. Apart from these two plants hundreds of other small plants that provide services like drilling, pipe line maintenance, well maintenance etc can also be found in Alberta.

Athabasca oil sand at Alberta is believed to contain more oil than the total oil reserve in the rest of the world. With new advanced technologies in offering, the petroleum plants at Athabasca are now capable of producing economic synthetic crude and bitumen at almost the same cost of extracting conventional crude. Various multinational companies who have established their petroleum plants at Athabasca oil sands are now exploiting both conventional and non conventional technology to extract bitumen from oil sands. As per the available statistics these companies are now capable of extracting more than 315 billion barrels of bitumen. With a number of multinational companies establishing their plants, this small area has now developed into a rich township.

The Brooks, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge are the major oil plants that are situated in the north east part of Alberta. Grande Prairie, High Level, Zama and Rainbow Lakes are the important oil plants at the north western region of Alberta. Caroline and Medicine River are at the central part and Athabasca oil sands are situated in the north east of Alberta.

Alberta oil and gas agency is the regulatory body that controls the activities of oil fields at Alberta. The major oil fields in British Colombia are Greater Sierra oil field, Pink Mountain and Border Ring. Oil and Gas Commission is the regulatory body to control oil mining activities at British Colombia.

The other petroleum mining plants in Canada can be found in Maniotoba and Saskatchewan. Petro Canada is also engaged in the on shore oil drilling activity in MacKenzie Delta which is situated in northern Canada. Off shore oil mining activity of northern Canada is now taking place at Beaufort Sea.

The major onshore drilling plants at eastern Canada are Ontario, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Cape Breton Island and Prince Edward Island. The main off shore petroleum plants at eastern Canada are Hibernia, White Rose, Sable Island, Cabot Strait and Northumberland Strait.

En Cana Corporation, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Husky Energy Inc, Burlington Resources Canada Ltd, Devon Canada Corporation, Petro Canada and Talisman Energy Inc are the major petroleum companies that play a crucial role in developing petroleum industry in Canada.