Canada's offshore petroleum industry operates in one of the
world's harshest environments, challenged by ice, wind and waves.
Offshore exploration and production occurs when oil or natural gas
fields exist under the sea, and includes all related operations and
activities. Offshore projects are complex, requiring many
specialized vessels to support operations at sea. These include
large oil shuttle tankers, floating drilling/production platforms,
production storage and offloading vessels, tugboats, drill ships,
fireboats and supply vessels and subsea facilities.
People who work in the offshore industry need all the technical
skills used onshore, plus the stamina, balance and enthusiasm
needed to succeed in such a unique working environment. The
offshore sector is supported by many onshore positions, including
those in the areas of engineering, environment, health and safety,
finance, IT, human resources, public relations, procurement and
administration.
The offshore industry in Canada is mainly found in Newfoundland
and Labrador, and Nova Scotia.
There are currently three producing offshore oil
projects in Newfoundland and Labrador:
The Hebron project, first discovered in 1981 is a
heavy oil field estimated to have 400 - 700 million barrels of
recoverable resources. The Hebron
project project is a major offshore initiative expected to
bring significant economic benefits to Canada.
In Nova Scotia, current offshore projects include
exploration and production of natural gas reserves:
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