Energy Plan - Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

Focusing on Our Best Opportunities
Research and development spending in itself can have a significant economic
impact in the province. The ultimate goal, however, is the increase in opportunities
for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to become global experts and provide
services on world-wide scale.
From an energy perspective, some of the research and development opportunities
to consider will be things such as:
Increasing hydrocarbon recovery
As oil is extracted from reservoirs, it becomes more difficult to access the oil that
remains in the field, due to decreased pressure or different geological constraints.
To ensure we receive the maximum value from offshore oil production, we need
to develop or adapt technologies to increase recovery from both existing and
future fields. Current research and development efforts could also help develop
our natural gas resource by reducing a variety of technical hurdles.
Oil and natural gas exploration and development in harsh
northern environments
Developing hydrocarbon resources offshore Newfoundland and Labrador will
become more challenging as efforts move northward to Labrador and to the
deeper waters off the Grand Banks. Our Centres of Excellence, including those
at Memorial University, pursue ongoing research activities that strengthen this
province’s position as a world leader in harsh, ice-prone water operations.
The recruitment of researchers, faculty and students for these efforts has
created a concentration of highly–qualified personnel who further advance our
reputation and capabilities as a centre for oilfield operational excellence in
harsh environments.
We will continue to strengthen our position as a world leader in harsh-environment
technology. Several local companies have made significant progress towards
this goal; they and others will be able to capitalize on new opportunities as
the global petroleum industry looks to deeper waters and the Arctic for future
production. With this expertise, Newfoundland and Labrador will play a growing
role in the global search for oil and gas.
Wind power in harsh environments
Wind power has already achieved a significant breakthrough in the energy
marketplace and increased research and development efforts will help to
increase its potential and its role in the energy supply.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s wind resources are among the best in the world.
More research and development activities are needed, however, to overcome
challenges posed by weather, icing and corrosion. We must also find ways
to ensure better reliability and accessibility and deal with maintenance
requirements.
POLICY
ACTIONS
Focusing on Our Best
Opportunities
The Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador will:
Invest $5 million to provide
detailed advice and
recommendations on planning,
implementing and financing
energy innovation. This
investment will be used to:
• Pursue a strategic,
coordinated approach to
energy innovation focusing
on areas of a competitive
advantage.
• Create an Energy Innovation
Roadmap for the province
by the end of 2008 to
provide direction, focus, and
priorities for our future energy
technologies.
• Identify and work with various
groups to promote focus on
key opportunity areas.
• Leverage existing strengths
and energy expertise at
Centres of Excellence and
elsewhere by encouraging
a common, coordinated
approach to executing energy
research.
• Address the lack of venture
capital and other funding
necessary to move ideas into
implementation.
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