Alberta’s government said it will invest up to $50 million to support the creation of a first-in-Canada drilling test site to support technology development in the oil, gas, geothermal and lithium industries.
The Alberta Drilling Accelerator is intended to be an open-access, industry-led site where companies can test drilling technologies at deep depths, high temperatures and varying rock types.
A location for the hub site has yet to be determined.
While no binding contracts have been signed, the province said several companies have expressed strong interest in serving as anchor tenants, including Calgary-based geothermal company Eavor Technologies, Tourmaline Oil Corp. and international oilfield service supermajor Halliburton.
The money the province is providing will come from the industry-funded Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program, which Alberta’s heavy emitters are required to pay into as part of the province’s industrial carbon pricing system.
The provincial government said the Alberta Drilling Accelerator could start operating in 2026.