Energy Offshore Oil & Gas Research Trip

Geochemist Jamie Webb with core samples extracted from the Sydney Basin

Nova Scotia’s coastal waters are home to naturally-occurring bacteria that eat oil and gas. If you can find those bacteria, you have a better chance of finding offshore oil and gas.

The Coriolis II docked at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography

The Department of Energy just wrapped up a 10-day research trip to look for bacteria that consume hydrocarbons. This trip is part of their ongoing efforts to gather even more information about Nova Scotia’s offshore resources and attract more international investment to the province.

Adam MacDonald of the Department of Energy shows a map of the testing site

To do this, the province teamed up with scientists and researchers from across Canada. Together, they are pioneering new exploration techniques, like pairing traditional geoscience with leading-edge genomics (the science of DNA). This will be the most comprehensive study of its kind to-date.

Deidra Stacey, Adam MacDonald, Carmen Li, Jamie Webb, Daniel Gittins, and Jayne Rattray

Together they think they can find those oil and gas-loving bacteria, and that the bacteria will help them pinpoint areas for exploration.