|
 The
oil industry in Manitoba began with exploration
after the Second World War in the southwest section
of the province. The first discovery was in 1951,
and drilling continues to this day. Exploration of
the Hudson Bay Lowlands also indicated reservoirs of
oil and gas. In the early 1980s, an offshore
drilling operation was to commence in Hudson’s Bay
itself but yielded no results.
Before 1980, oil was discovered
in the Mississippian Lodgepole and Mission Canyon
formations and currently produces over 70 percent of
Manitoba’s oil and gas. This led to a boom in oil
and natural gas exploration into many formations
such as the Mississippian Bakken Formation in the
Daly area.
The boom also created many
petroleum companies. In 1980, Tundra Oil and Gas
Limited were formed by James Richardson and Sons of
Winnipeg, who since the 1850s were a major company
in Manitoba’s economic development. The company
began with a focus on light oil production in
Manitoba. Tundra currently operates more than 385
producing oil wells in the Williston Basin. In total
there are approximately 1,710 producing oil wells in
Manitoba. The future of Manitoba’s petroleum
industry is promising with 110 wells begun by Tundra
in 2004.
|
Heritage Community Foundation Presents
;)
