Regulatory license round process
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) is responsible, on behalf of the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, for petroleum resource management in the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area.
In 2013, a scheduled land tenure system was implemented to provide increased timeframes for calls for bids in more frontier areas of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Area. The offshore area has been divided into eight regions which have been individually categorized as either low activity, high activity, or mature, based on the level of oil and gas exploration and development activities.
The first license round closed in late 2015. Between 2015 and 2022, detailed independent Resource Assessments were conducted over relevant areas with results released prior to bid closing, ensuring the global industry has a scientifically quantified view of the potential of the blocks on offer. Each area covered by the resource assessment is approximately 2% (20,000 km2) of Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore basin area.