Oil Shale Dispositions

Oil shale dispositions in Saskatchewan are acquired through Crown Public Offerings. Companies request land to be posted in the Public Offerings and bid on parcels within the Integrated Resource Information System (IRIS).

The Notice of Publication, Results, Statistics and Reports are published for each offering.

Dispositions Offering Oil Shale Rights

For regulatory purposes, oil shale refers to a compact rock of sedimentary origin containing disseminated organic matter from which oil shale products can be extracted through destructive distillation. Oil shale rights are generally granted from surface to the top of the Precambrian. Oil shale products are considered to be oil and associated hydrocarbon gas that can be extracted through the destructive distillation of oil shale.

• Special Exploratory Permits: This is Saskatchewan's largest oil shale disposition and is designed to encourage exploration. To ensure this, no Special Exploratory Permit can be posted within 10 kilometres of any oil shale Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project. This disposition is available through Crown Public Offerings and bids for these parcels are in the form of work commitments rather than bonus bids. This allows capital normally used for land acquisition to be applied to actual exploration work. This disposition grants the right to explore for oil shale but not remove, extract or produce oil shale or oil shale products until a lease is granted.
• Leases: This disposition provides the right to explore and produce oil shale and oil shale products. Leases are obtained:
  • By exercising rights under permits; and
  • By being offered for bid at Crown Public Offerings

For terms and conditions associated with oil shale dispositions, see The Oil and Gas Tenure Registry Regulations.