A company or individual can request an exploration permit for a land parcel. The holder of the permit has the exclusive right to explore for geothermal resources and apply for well authorizations to drill wells within the permit location. Once a successful geothermal well has been drilled and a development plan submitted, a lease may be issued for all or part of the location.
Exploration activities, including geological, geochemical and geophysical analysis, well drilling and any other approved method, are conducted to determine the following factors:
The permit request letter must contain the following information:
Geothermal exploration permit requests will not be considered for locations that include:
Permit request letters, supporting maps and other documentation for exploration of geothermal resources may be submitted by email or post mail via the contact info listed on this page.
Once a geothermal exploration permit request is accepted, all land parcels being considered for the permit are subject to a pre-tenure review process.
Requesting an exploration permit for Crown geothermal resources is pursuant to Part 3, Section 5(5) of the Geothermal Resources Act.
Visit Geothermal Regulations for more information.
Energy Policy and Regulation Branch
Electricity & Alternative Energy Division