For Immediate Release
January 7, 2021

St. John’s, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA), Noia, and the Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador are working together to accelerate awareness and the pursuit of clean technology opportunities in Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry. The organizations formed a joint committee in 2019 to work collaboratively and identify priorities to advance clean technology in the offshore oil and gas industry.

In 2020, the organizations received support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Department of Industry, Energy, and Technology, and the Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador to engage in a series of important studies related to clean technology in the offshore.

Two key studies were recently completed: the feasibility of powering future offshore oil and gas operations with clean electricity from shore; and powering existing and future operations with offshore wind energy. The initial results from this research were made public during Noia’s Virtual Fall Seminar held November 18, 2020 and were favourably received by attendees. The reports by Aker Solutions and Intecsea, the companies which undertook the studies, are now available for viewing here.

Additional studies are also ongoing and focused on: defining the region’s clean tech research and development strengths relevant to the oil and gas industry; emerging environmental performance measurements and expectations to ensure the local supply chain maintains its competitiveness internationally; and recommendations on regulatory and innovation support frameworks that will drive and enable clean growth within the industry.

Information obtained from these studies will help lay the foundation for the industry to develop its approach to helping the province and country achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

QUOTES

“Newfoundland and Labrador is set to become a clean tech capital of Canada, building on the success of fintech companies like Verafin, working in our Offshore to lower emissions, and driving global competitiveness.”
The Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA

“Effective collaboration between our offshore energy and environmental sectors positions our province to be a global leader in the development of clean technology. This commitment to advancing clean tech is critical for the province to achieve our 2050 objectives. It also creates good, well-paying jobs, ensuring Newfoundlanders and Labradorians benefit from the transition to a lower carbon global economy”
The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy, and Technology, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

“As global environmental carbon emission targets tighten, Newfoundland and Labrador is presenting a more competitive barrel of oil to the world energy market. It’s important we continue to innovate in this area to ensure our prospective assets contribute to the supply of lower emission crude resources globally while providing attractive investment returns to the people of this province.”
Jim Keating, Acting CEO, Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador

“A collaborative approach of working with NEIA and Oil and Gas Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador demonstrates the commitment of the offshore oil and gas industry to contribute the innovation required to further lower emissions of our already low carbon product. The preliminary results of these studies are exciting and we look forward to using the ingenuity, knowledge, and skills built through decades of working in the offshore to make our industry a global leader in providing a world-class energy product with a low carbon impact.”
Charlene Johnson, CEO, Noia

“Our offshore oil and gas industry has an important role to play in Canada’s energy transition. There are enormous opportunities within it for the development and application of clean technologies. Newfoundland and Labrador could become a global leader in this space, and this work is intended to help establish next steps in that pursuit.”
Kieran Hanley, Executive Director, NEIA

BACKGROUND

The following five studies are the current focus of the committee:

Evaluating the Technical Feasibility of the Electrification of FPSO Vessels Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
A preliminary FEED level of analysis identifying challenges that will arise from electrifying a greenfield FPSO for two potential developments. The two greenfield “power from shore” development scenarios are a development in the West Orphan Basin with a point of interconnection (POI) at the Soldier’s Pond Station, and a potential development in the Labrador Sea with a POI at the Muskrat Falls generating station.

Evaluating the Technical Feasibility of Wind Energy to Electrify Oil and Gas Production Facilities Offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
A scoping study of electrifying offshore oil and gas production facilities via the development and installation of offshore wind farms and the technical challenges this will encompass. This research includes recommendations for specific equipment and design criteria that should be implemented in four different contexts: one brownfield scenario, and three greenfield scenarios.

Understanding current activity and capacity in clean technology research, development, and innovation in Canada’s Offshore Oil and Gas Industry
Research that will compile and thematically represent the research, development, and innovation capacity of Canada’s offshore oil and gas industry as it relates to clean technology. This will include an identification of areas of strength or emerging strength in the Atlantic region (e.g. by specific subject matter and/or collective capabilities) that can be leveraged to drive clean growth within the industry.

Delineating emerging environmental requirements and expectations in the offshore oil and gas supply chain
Understanding the related emerging requirements and expectations for supply chain participants will help ensure the competitiveness of firms in Atlantic Canada – or help local firms gain a competitive advantage. This is important from both the perspective of firms maintaining their market share in domestic oil and gas supply chains, and for firms engaging internationally.

Identifying regulatory and support ecosystem initiatives from leading jurisdictions supporting clean technology innovation in the offshore oil and gas industry
This work will help stakeholders gain an understanding of what deliberate interventions related to clean tech were made (by leading global jurisdictions) to foster innovation, attract investment, diversify the supply chain, and enhance long-term environmental performance within the industry. This will be compared to the regulatory and innovation support ecosystem in Atlantic Canada, and a series of recommendations will be made to drive and/or enable clean growth within the local industry.

Media contacts:

Eric Humber
Industry, Energy and Technology
709-729-2691
erichumber@gov.nl.ca

Ken Morrissey, Senior Advisor Communications, Research and Policy
Mobile: 709-725-5172 | kmorrissey@noia.ca | @NoiaNL

PARTNER PROMOTION