Nechako Basin oil eyed
June 23, 2009 | Omineca Express
There may be oil in the hills, just not our hills.
Geoscience BC released new seismic refection data last week. It was a $2.5 million survey that took place in the northern Nechako Basin west of Quesnel. The survey covered an area of 330 – line kilometers.
The information collected from the survey will help to determine the hydrocarbon potential of the Nechako Basin.
Seismic reflection works much like an ultrasound. It is used to estimate the properties under the earth surface.
“These new survey results, funded by the Province of B.C., are a key piece of the data needed to evaluate the petroleum resource potential of the region,” Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, said. “The BC Energy Plan states that government would establish new data to make that possible. Today’s announcement brings us that much closer to bringing new jobs and responsible resource development to the Nechako Region.”
Northern Development Initiative Trust contributed $500,000 to the project. It is the first time seismic work has been done in the region since Canadian Hunter did a survey in the early 1980s.
In order to attract business, the survey is being made public.
“It was done as publicly available data,” Janine North, Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Development Initiative Trust, said. “Why we were interested in being involved is because often seismic work is proprietary. “Only the company knows the results, where in mining it is usually public information. The survey data can be used by BC and Canadian prospectors. That is different from oil and gas where it is very propriety and complementary to each.”
