Dalhousie to oversee energy R&D for government of NS
From the Springboard Content Lab
The Nova Scotia government is engaging Springboard member Dalhousie University to oversee a new program which aims to understand the potential of Nova Scotia’s onshore natural gas deposits and help produce natural gas in the province.
Dalhousie will lead the Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment Program to help the province discover the nature and location of the resource and to develop guidelines to ensure responsible exploration. The new program will explore the potential of Nova Scotia’s onshore natural gas deposits and help produce natural gas here in the province.
“Natural gas is used to heat many homes and apartments, and we’ve seen as much as 20 per cent of Nova Scotia Power’s output fuelled by natural gas,” said Premier Tim Houston. “Right now, we are forced to import all of our natural gas and ship it through the U.S. We should not pay to transport it when it is a resource we have here at home.”
The $30-million program will help kick-start the province’s onshore natural gas industry after a decade of inaction and inactivity, bringing jobs and investment to the province.
“Previous governments made the decision to shut down our industry and import fuel. That contributed to driving up electricity costs while sending jobs elsewhere. That makes no sense. Developing our own resources to fuel our own energy needs will help combat the rising cost of heat and power and create good-paying jobs here at home. That’s why we are working with Dalhousie to understand how to do this safely.”
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston
Dalhousie to support project with research expertise
First steps include Dalhousie establishing an oversight committee of people with experience in energy development, including representation from academia, the public, the Department of Energy, First Nations and the energy industry. The university will also lead communication with the public before research starts and manage ongoing stakeholder engagement.
The university will set qualification criteria for companies and issue an open call for project proposals. After applications are evaluated, the Province will negotiate agreements with successful proponents to determine the amount of provincial investment. Proponents must secure all applicable permits and approvals before exploration or production begins.
“Dalhousie University is pleased to support the Government of Nova Scotia by providing administrative capacity, faculty and research expertise, and community connection for the Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment Program. We are committed to being a strategic partner in promoting the economic development and social vitality of Nova Scotia, creating and fostering growth opportunities through impactful and collaborative research, scholarship and partnerships.”
– Graham Gagnon, acting Vice-President Research and Innovation, Dalhousie University and member of Springboard Board of Directors
The Province can hold equity in successful drilling ventures or earn a share of profits of production in a number of ways, such as royalties. Nova Scotians will receive economic benefits, and each project will produce a return in both jobs created and new source government revenue.
Any provincial revenue earned will be partially, but disproportionately, reinvested in the surrounding local municipalities based on proximity.
Quick Facts:
- Dalhousie will submit a final report to the Province by December 31, 2026, with published research papers to follow
- exploratory wells in the program that do not produce natural gas could be assessed for potential geothermal energy and carbon capture and storage research and development
- Nova Scotia has an estimated seven trillion cubic feet of natural gas underground; that is about three times the amount of gas off Sable Island and enough to meet Nova Scotia’s needs for 200 years
Dalhousie University is a member of the Springboard Network of 19 post secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada. Our mission is to grow the economy through research commercialization and industry/community collaborations.