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Shale and Tight Resources in Canada

A product of the Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference

Technological innovation and the increasing efficiency of horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing technologies are unlocking vast unconventional shale and tight hydrocarbon resources in North America.

Shale and tight resources are unconventional because of the methods used in their extraction, and the types of reservoir from which they are produced. Both shale and tight resources are locked in geological formations with very low permeability Footnote 1 and usually require the combination of two technologies – horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (sometimes referred to as “fracking”) to release the hydrocarbons and allow them to flow to the well at commercial rates.

Shale and tight resource development has transformed North American energy markets and provided significant economic opportunities, but at the same time is attracting public concern over its pace and environmental footprint.

About This Portal

This web portal is a collaborative product prepared by federal, provincial and territorial governments. “Drill down”, by selecting a topic for more detailed information, or “drill laterally”, by selecting a province or territory, to learn more about shale and tight resource development in a particular jurisdiction.

 

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