Canadian seismic halts 10-year slide

Gary Park

Petroleum News Calgary correspondent

A rebound in seismic activity provides another pointer to the scorching upstream pace in Canada.

The three largest producing provinces — Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia — are either ahead of or close to passing 2002 levels, according to government statistics.

By early December, Alberta had handled 925 seismic applications, which was “slightly ahead” of comparative 2002 figures; 284 companies filed permit applications in Saskatchewan, 11 more than 2002; and British Columbia logged 148 permits applications to mid-November, just 14 behind the total for the previous year.

Even so, the region will be well short of record levels, as E&P companies continue to trim their seismic budgets as conventional production slides in the Western Canada sedimentary basin.

But the reversal of a 10-year downward trend in seismic bodes well for 2004, given the usual 12-month lead time to drilling.

The hottest plays attracting seismic activity are northeastern British Columbia, northern Alberta and the Estevan, Swift Current and Kindersley areas of Saskatchewan.