I see that once Murphy puts the issue on the table Au CONTRAIRE makes like he invented OIL Shale.
HERE ARE SOME FACTS
Bituminous oil sands exist in Saskatchewan, principally in the Clearwater Valley area, near Churchill Lake. Based on research to date the deposits appear to be small and widely scattered, too deep to mine, too shallow for conventional in situ technology, and therefore not likely to be economic, yet. The challenge and opportunity is to develop unconventional technology that can be applied to these deposits.
There has recently been renewed interest in oil sands exploration drilling in Saskatchewan. This is needed to better evaluate the resource. The most promising recovery technology is probably an adaptation of VAPEX, which, with some customisation of solvents and field practices, should be applicable to Saskatchewan's oil sands. Once the bitumen is recovered it can be chemically converted to synthetic crude oil. This could boost our reserves significantly, and could occur in the near future.
Saskatchewan also has oil shale, a sedimentary rock containing organic matter called kerogen. The kerogen can be chemically converted to synthetic crude oil. Significant deposits can be found in the Pasquia Hills area, near Hudson Bay. Based on research to date these deposits appear to contain a substantial amount of oil shale that is shallow enough to mine.
There has recently been renewed interest in Saskatchewan oil shale and at least 25 new core holes have been drilled in this area over the last several years to better evaluate the extent of the resource. If oil prices stay at their current levels, then a modest technology development program should make this large resource economically viable. This could add about a bn barrels of synthetic crude oil to our reserves.
Saskatchewan creativity and “can-do” attitude have led to great advances in developing, adapting, and deploying new oil recovery technologies, from horizontal and infill wells to light and heavy EOR. Further advances will allow us to increase our reserves.
Other advances will allow us to develop Saskatchewan oil sand and oil shale. We can even convert our massive coal resource into synthetic crude oil, if needed. With research and development on our side, Saskatchewan oil will only run out if we lose sight of the many unconventional routes to producing it.
Dr Laurier L. Schramm is President and CEO of the Saskatchewan Research Council.
From what Murphy or inthe field have said having spoken to permitting staff from time to time, is that it usually takes as little as a day to issue a coal permit.
What seems to have happened is that GXS, WGF etal have gone after everythng they could and wanted rights to the Oil Shale lands that laready have permits on them. They had to think long and hard at what to do. Oil shale includes melting forms of coal. The outcome is that Oli Shale permits will take precedent over applications for coal permits.
The MAp that everybody has is dated and I have heard will be replaced tomorrow to show all the oil shale permits not show to date. WGF is in for a surprise.
These discoveries that everybody hoped would go on for miles have limitations as adjacent oil shale permits put a stop to them. Anything can happn now. GXS may have been drilling on Oil Shale lands.
The sky now has limits. NAG is so far away from the contested OIL SHALE that it's once distant positon as too far away, may be considered by some as not far enough. NAG has a thinner seam, but it has less limitation on its meandering lenght being cut short by somebody else's claims.
I trust NAG will survive better than the rest