This document summarizes shale oil and gas exploration and development plans in the Northwest Territories and discusses opportunities for communities to provide input. It notes that five companies could be operating at the same time in the coming years. The document outlines the exploration licenses and permits that have been issued or proposed, as well as decision points where communities can provide consultation or influence, such as during land claim negotiations, environmental assessments, or when expressing public concern. It promotes collaborative and meaningful involvement of communities throughout the process.

1. Not an Easy Balance:
Shale Oil & Gas in NWT
Communities
Presentation to Keepers of the Water Conference
Shauna Morgan, The Pembina Institute
September 27, 2012 , Fort Nelson

2. The Pembina Institute
The Pembina Institute is
an environmental
nonprofit think tank
with 50+ staff in seven
offices. We work to
advance clean energy
solutions through
innovative research,
education, consulting
and advocacy.
2

3. Recent Pembina Research
+ four reports for the
Shale Gas Thought
Leader’s Forum in
September 2012

4. Shale potential in NWT
Gas
Source: June-Warren Nickles group.
Oil
Source: USGS

5. Overview of Sahtu Exploration Parcels
And
Development Proposals

6. Exploration Plans
Winter 2011-2012
•Husky- 3D Seismic, drilled 2 wells
•Explor-2D Seismic
Summer 2012
•Husky- research (water quality/quantity, wildlife, vegetation, permafrost)
•Conoco- research (similar to Husky)
•MGM- scouting for proposed winter work
Winter 2012-2013
•MGM- will drill 1 well under permit S12A-001, licence S12L1-001
•Husky- proposes to re-enter 2 wells, construct all season road
•Conoco- proposes to drill 2 wells, possibly 3
Years After
•Potentially all 5 companies will be operating at the same time

7. “Balance”
“Capacity”
“Consultation”
“(Traditional Knowledge?)”

8. Empower
Collaborate
Involve
Consult
Inform
Modified from IAP2 Spectrium

9. Decision Points /
Opportunities for
Influence
Before
Before
Leases
Leases ABA Negotiation
ABA Negotiation Exploration Licenses
Exploration Licenses Exploration
Exploration
Issued
Issued
FF
Consultation
Consultation aa
w/
w/ Land Corps
Land Corps ll FF
communities
communities ll aa Monitoring
Monitoring
(others too?)
(others too?) EA
EA ll
Screening
Screening ll
(regional
(regional
Board)
Board) Hearings 22
Hearings
11
22 00 Cumulativ
Cumulativ
00 Letter:
Letter: 33 eeImpacts
Impacts
11 ‘Public
‘Public
22 Concern’
Concern’ 9

10. For more information
• www.pembina.org
• Shauna Morgan at shaunam@pembina.org