Oil and Gas
Application Documents
The following documents should be reviewed prior to submitting your application:
What is the Oil and Gas Development Program?
The Oil and Gas Program facilitates the responsible and efficient use of Crown land for surface activities associated with oil and gas projects.
Crown land for exploration and development is available by application to the Province of British Columbia (the Province), with the exception of land required for oil and gas purposes.
Land required for oil and gas purposes is approved by the Oil and Gas Commission.
Through the Oil and Gas Development Program, Crown land is made available to qualified oil and gas sector applicants.
Making Crown land available for sustainable economic growth and public benefit contributes value to the people and province of British Columbia.
This supports domestic energy production and economic development in the province of British Columbia.
Our Role vs the Role of the Oil and Gas Commission
Provincial agencies are responsible for:
- issuing and administering all Land Act tenures for federally-regulated pipelines; and
- authorizing surface uses that are secondary or ancillary to oil and gas activity including electric power lines, wireless and linear telecommunications, gravel pits, campsites and airstrips.
The Oil and Gas Commission is responsible for:
- regulation of all petroleum and natural gas activities;
- regulation of all provincially regulated pipelines; and,
- issuing Land Act tenures for oil and gas drill sites, well sites, access roads as well as campsites, air strips, gravel pits, power and telecommunication lines and provincial pipelines, any of which are used solely for oil and gas production purposes.
Who May Apply?
The application process is open to:
- Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are at least 19 years of age;
registered partnerships; and
- corporations that are registered in the Province of British Columbia or incorporated under the laws of Canada.
What Types of Crown Land Access are Available?
- In certain instances, Crown land may be sold at full market value. Sales are limited to non-shoreland and parcels suitable for registration in a Land Title Act subdivision plan, or surveyed to the satisfaction of Land Act survey standards. Note: The Oil and Gas Commission cannot sell land.
- A lease is available for long-term use, up to 30 years, where substantial improvements are needed, or where definite boundaries are necessary to avoid conflicts.
- A license of occupation is normally issued for short-term use, up to 10 years, and for remote areas where precise tenure boundaries are not required.
- A permit (general license) is used to authorize short-term temporary use for exploration, access, or other short term investigative purposes including drill sites and incidental facilities. A general licence is normally available for up to 1 year for investigative purposes.
- A statutory right of way may be issued for primary or enhanced recovery facilities, over vacant Crown land or over existing Land Act tenure. A right of way for drillsites or wellsites within an existing Land Act tenure is normally issued for as long as is required.
Fees and Costs
Depending on the extent of the proposed use, an applicant can anticipate some or all of the following costs:
- an application fee as identified in the Land Tenure Purpose and Application Fees schedule (effective June 1, 2003).
- for primary recovery and enhancement facilities, annual rent is based on zone rates, with a minimum charge of $500 per tenure;
- for a licence of occupation or a lease for marketing and refining facilities, annual rent is 7.5% or 8% respectively of land value;
- for a general license, rent is $250.
What Special Requirements Must be Met?
- Approval of tenure for oil and gas purposes may be subject to a provincial government review process (i.e. mine development review process).
- Applicants must provide an outline of intended operations indicating the proposed use, location and siting of improvements, timing of construction and proposed site reclamation and cleanup.
- A performance guarantee may be required. A blanket deposit option may be available if the applicant has more than one tenure.
- Tenure holders must purchase and maintain a minimum of $1,000,000 public liability insurance.
- A legal survey is normally required for leases and rights of way.
The most common reason for delay is submission of an incomplete application, which is then returned to the applicant. To ensure an application is processed as quickly as possible be sure to complete all the required documents as identified in the Requirements List/Management Plan  (22kb) and submit the required Application Fee.
If your application is accepted, you will be notified if Advertising (147kb) is required. Please wait for confirmation before advertising.
If you have questions regarding any aspect of the application process or any of the land tenure programs, contact
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