PROVINCE HOSTS INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM CONFERENCE

Saskatchewan will host more than 300 oilfield operators, geologists, and engineers at a major international petroleum conference next week at the Delta Hotel in Regina.

The 11th Williston Basin Horizontal Well and Petroleum Conference takes place April 27th to 29th. Participants will discuss new and evolving petroleum-related technologies and geoscientific advances that relate to the Williston Basin reservoirs that underlie much of southern Saskatchewan.

Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline will help open the conference and deliver a keynote luncheon address on the conference's first day.

"Last fall we announced a comprehensive package to enhance production in the energy sector," Cline said. "Since that time drilling activity has risen substantially. We expect that more will be invested in our oil and gas sector, more new wells will be drilled, more gross revenue will be generated, and more jobs will be created. There is a lot of opportunity in Saskatchewan's future."

The conference will feature more than 20 technical presentations, covering such topics as current exploration successes, geoscience research needs, shallow gas exploration, and the International Energy Agency Weyburn Carbon Dioxide Monitoring and Storage Project. Additional activities include the grand re-opening of the government's Subsurface Geology Laboratory, and delegate tours to EnCana's enhanced oil recovery project near Weyburn and The Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan's Rocanville mine.

"Gatherings such as the Williston Basin conference are contributing to the tremendous success of our petroleum industry," Cline said. "This is a superb opportunity for delegates to share information and local representatives to showcase our provincial industry's accomplishments and potential."

From Saskatchewan, the Williston Basin extends into parts of North and South Dakota, Montana, and Manitoba.

The conference is co-sponsored by Saskatchewan Industry and Resources and the North Dakota Geological Survey. The conference location alternates between the two jurisdictions each year.

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For More Information, Contact:

Bob Ellis Industry and Resources Regina Phone: (306)787-8277