Rights Administration
The management of oil and gas North of 60°, includes the ongoing administration of interests issued.
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Registry
Under the Canada Petroleum Resources Act, the Department is required to establish and maintain a registration system which, under the direction of the Registrar, will allow for the registration and retrieval of information respecting "interests" and "instruments" as defined by the Act and the Frontier Lands Registration Regulations.
The Registry consists of a depository for the interests and instruments registered and the title abstract that reflects the history of the title with all registered transactions identified. Registry activities can be viewed in the monthly registry activity report. A number of other related documents are noted on the abstract, both required under the legislation such as appointment of representatives as well as corporate name changes and amalgamations noted.
To assist in ensuring that the Registry accurately reflects the dispositions of oil and gas rights, documents to be submitted to effect changes are available under Registration Documentation.
We do not undertake "searches" of the oil and gas dispositions (PL's, SDL's and EL's) in the North. All registered and deposited records are available to the public (for a fee) to search title or obtain information about the ownership of real property. Abstracts are available upon written request (letter, fax or e-mail.). Certified true copies will be provided by mail.
Administration
The administration of oil and gas rights includes the managing of the Lands Administration System (LAS) which is our day to day status provider.
LAS provides for both the administering of land information as well as financial matter relating to the exploration conducted under exploration licences issued as a result of a Call for Bids. Work expenditure bid deposits (for Period 1 of the term) and rental deposits (refundable during Period 2), are held by the department during the term of an exploration licence (EL). As companies explore for oil and gas they submit claims for allowable expenditures in accordance with established guidelines.