Overview

With Devolution in 2014, the laws governing petroleum production, exploration, and management were mirrored from the federal government when the jurisdiction shifted to the GNWT. Not everything in these laws makes sense for today’s Northwest Territories.

The GNWT is proposing amendments to the Petroleum Resources Act (PRA) and the Oil and Gas Operations Act (OGOA) as the first step in a longer-term review — and we want to hear from you!

Amendments made at this stage will be designed to address one or more of the following goals.

• Resolving existing administrative and technical issues to create a more consistent and predictable regulatory environment
• Enhancing transparency and public accountability throughout the PRA and the OGOA
• Ensuring legislation reflects current risks, best practices and standards
• Minimizing operational challenges in the administration of petroleum rights issuance and operations
• Increasing competitiveness comparative to other jurisdictions to promote increased investment in NWT petroleum exploration and production

To learn more about what we’re suggesting, download our engagement paper, backgrounders, and other information from our document library on the right, or ask us a question using the Q+A tab below!