Part of About tenure

Tenure statistics

These statistics reflect the amount of activity in Alberta. The leasing and licensing of mineral rights enable companies to explore and produce petroleum and natural gas.

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Introduction

Petroleum and natural gas (PNG) rights owned by the Province of Alberta can be acquired through a competitive bid auction held about every two weeks. PNG leases and licences are issued to the successful bidders. Yearly, the province holds an average of 24 land auctions (sales). As of March 2024, there were 65 thousand active PNG agreements in Alberta.

After a PNG Tenure mineral agreement is acquired a number of activities follow, including drilling well(s), producing oil and/or natural gas, and proving productivity to continue an agreement. If the leased mineral rights are not developed, or, are no longer productive, the agreement is cancelled and the mineral rights return to the Crown.

Tenure sales

See the Public offering of Crown petroleum and natural gas rights by calendar year (bonuses, hectares, and average price per hectare – each file includes data for Plains, Northern, Foothills and grand totals).

The best measure of the land sale is the average price paid per hectare. The top sale by average price per hectare was held April 17, 2024. A total of $13 million was collected at an average price of $4,498.60 per hectare. June 1, 2011, remains the highest annual bonus amount for petroleum and natural gas rights at $3.536 billion.

The highest price per hectare was $130,060.00 per hectare, for a parcel sold in the July 5, 1978 sale. The lowest price per hectare a parcel sold for at that time was $1.25 for licences and $2.50 for leases. Today the minimum bid, or lowest price per hectare, accepted for both licences and leases is $35.00/ha. This was changed on October 23, 2020.

The most money paid for one parcel of petroleum and natural gas rights was $123.6 million on August 24, 2011.

Leases and licences calendar year summary

Table 1. Summary of annual public offering of Crown petroleum and natural gas rights by calendar year – leases and licences

YearParcels soldTotal bonusTotal hectaresAverage $/hectare
20231354$370,118,321.54790,260.710$468.35
20221244$333,745,376.50585,556.608$569.96
2021839$108,194,157.98428,965.700$252.22
2020392$29,416,405.64219,688.914$133.90
20191,673$119,270,187.88820,433.764$145.37
20182,352$405,026,965.341,360,548.254$297.69

Additional years

  • 2010 to 2017

    Year Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Average $/hectare
    2017 2,493 $504,605,365.53 1,253,980.702 $402.40
    2016 1,795 $136,783,392.53 936,775.962 $146.02
    2015 2,192 $275,826,755.48 1,553,920.362 $177.50
    2014 2,849 $489,376,151.05 1,058,477.6220 $462.34
    2013 3,321 $679,551,589.23 2,144,317.3580 $316.91
    2012 5,149 $1,110,114,528.08 3,083,175.6180 $360.06
    2011 6,351 $3,536,327,739.48 4,109,573.5460 $860.51
    2010 6,392 $2,387,812,738.41 3,853,300.4712 $619.68
  • 2000s

    Year Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Average $/hectare
    2009 4,564 $731,762,723.29 1,740,609.0232 $420.41
    2008 6,139 $937,598,856.47 2,022,576.1877 $463.57
    2007 6,561 $710,685,624.99 1,871,920.6340 $379.66
    2006 8,473 $1,471,853,475.66 2,692,912.3020 $546.57
    2005 8,796 $1,827,239,438.48 2,888,212.1560 $632.65
    2004 8,932 $1,022,734,935.02 2,817,180.3040 $363.03
    2003 8,846 $886,263,321.33 3,078,828.4000 $287.86
    2002 7,609 $476,528,408.16 2,607,513.9800 $182.75
    2001 8,684 $1,003,273,846.29 3,674,155.6100 $273.06
    2000 8.730 $1,002,534,826.51 3,644,271.9766 $275.10
  • 1990s

    Year Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Average $/hectare
    1999 6,688 $528,976,757.30 2,796,398.8240 $189.16
    1998 6,965 $581,963,629.92 2,838,182.1450 $205.05
    1997 9,814 $969,977,927.19 4,783,512.5055 $202.78
    1996 9,020 $725,684,303.00 4,566,957.0998 $158.90
    1995 8,788 $634,901,750.94 4,269,813.8751 $148.70
    1994 10,699 $999,293,400.40 4,701,854.8169 $212.53
    1993 7,233 $503,712,209.64 2,969,154.8620 $169.65
    1992 4,431 $148,620,997.29 1,505,808.7588 $98.70
    1991 5,614 $307,079,345.36 2,217,420.9000 $138.48
    1990 6,045 $434,975,474.88 2,410,126.0500 $180.48
  • 1980s

    Year Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Average $/hectare
    1989 5,566 $359,877,016.73 2,263,663.6300 $158.98
    1988 7,068 $521,015,291.46 2,630,286.6740 $198.08
    1987 5,819 $687,399,999.17 2,274,942.3000 $302.16
    1986 4,628 $250,890,631.99 1,894,147.2000 $132.46
    1985 5,328 $796,176,437.00 2,740,801.8900 $290.40
    1984 4,350 $624,164,170.38 1,870,962.8900 $333.61
    1983 2,960 $429,476,531.00 1,214,040.9100 $353.76
    1982 2,074 $333,961,180.51 1,111,784.1700 $300.38
    1981 2,728 $588,497,125.31 1,580,471.4000 $372.36
    1980 3,454 $1,004,882,651.10 2,473,678.2900 $406.23
  • 1970s

    Year Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Average $/hectare
    1979 2,987 $996,743,710.59 2,027,078.3100 $491.71
    1978 2,562 $603,241,521.45 1,577,365.6800 $382.44
    1977 2,425 $579,735,477.78 2,067,951.3500 $280.34

Table 2. Summary of Annual Public Offering of Crown Petroleum and Natural Gas Rights by fiscal year (April to March) – leases and licences

YearSales heldParcels soldTotal bonusTotal hectaresAvg. $/HA
2023/2024241,356$376,250,543.59781,725.312$481.31
2022/2023241,354$381,821,533.67658,494.31$579.84
2021/202223847$162,535,706.21495,004.820$328.35
2020/20217329$20,684,799.07152,504.90$135.63
2019/2020241,501$106,277,200.07774,896.362$137.15
2018/2019242,084$353,608,318.881,301,265.722$271.74

Additional years

  • 2010 to 2018

    Year Sales held Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Avg. $/HA
    2017-2018 24 2,625 $510,802,517.85 1,229,510.708 $415.45
    2016-2017 23 1,959 $189,738,993.82 977,222.886 $194.16
    2015-2016 23 2,027 $203,832,251.10 1,284,906.5860 $158.64
    2014-2015 24 2,732 $456,110,205.05 1,276,705.7860 $357.26
    2013-2014 24 3,044 $586,517,259.28 1,789,530.3100 $327.75
    2012-2013 24 4,718 $1,027,868,118.36 3,068,907.3610 $327.75
    2011-2012 24 6,259 $3,212,572,721.95 3,880,861.8490 $827.80
    2010-2011 23 6,442 $2,566,089,484.75 3,840,956.7848 $668.09
  • 2000s

    Year Sales held Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Avg. $/HA
    2009-2010 24 4,857 $1,131,995.261.66 2,210,392.6476 $512.12
    2008-2009 24 5,946 $865,658,273.60 2,056,858.6197 $420.86
    2007-2008 24 6,005 $583,455,417.58 1,664,538.7580 $350.52
    2006-2007 24 7,853 $1,054,884,821.84 2,428,313.0840 $434.41
    2005-2006 24 9,196 $2,165,464,637.16 3,121,095.2020 $693.82
    2004-2005 23 8,954 $1,126,061,167.65 2,825,319.0540 $398.56
    2003-2004 24 8,792 $942,546,274.58 3,031,701.6080 $310.90
    2002-2003 24 7,830 $547,803,419.53 2,608,883.6060 $209.98
    2001-2002 24 8,319 $877,983,140.26 3,496,409.9900 $251.11
    2000-2001 25 8,828 $1,019,916,628.43 3,635,503,1480 $280.54
  • 1990s

    Year Sales held Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Avg. $/HA
    1999-2000 27 7,491 $652,921,595.93 3,127,923.5136 $208.74
    1998-1999 24 5,058 $444,658,875.35 2,430,088.9700 $182.98
    1997-1998 24 9,215 $918,580,041.48 4,480,851.9517 $205.00
    1996-1997 24 9,896 $853,660,730.31 4,875,627,5686 $175.09
    1995-1996 24 7,396 $546,423,493.98 3,578,098.7541 $152.71
    1994-1995 29 11,175 $970,804,456.97 4,980,592.0379 $194.92
    1993-1994 31 8,833 $711,711,096.92 3,868,342.6700 $183.98
    1992-1993 23 4,561 $166,963,289.23 1,561,913.7468 $106.91
    1991-1992 25 5,336 $254,751,116.41 2,045,156.1960 $124.56
    1990-1991 25 5,962 $414,159,426.82 2,382,221.1000 $173.85
  • 1980s

    Year Sales held Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Avg. $/HA
    1989-1990 25 5,758 $387,654,013.98 2,327,443.2900 $166.56
    1988-1989 25 6,662 $447,763,598.76 2,520,016.4140 $177.68
    1987-1988 25 6,495 $759,752,331.10 2,516,326.5800 $301.93
    1986-1987 25 4,386 $240,457,759.93 1,716,070.1400 $140.12
    1985-1986 25 5,386 $721,632,122.75 2,696.598.0100 $267.61
    1984-1985 25 4,656 $662.065.187.19 2,097,880.8800 $315.59
    1983-1984 25 3,447 $484,745,148.24 1,353,513.1800 $358.14
    1982-1983 24 2,050 $335,830,362.64 1,106,552.3300 $303.49
    1981-1982 24 2,562 $555,218,858.75 1,479,181.3000 $375.36
    1980-1981 25 3,235 $752,251,457.99 2,077,209.4100 $362.15
  • 1970s

    Year Sales held Parcels sold Total bonus Total hectares Avg. $/HA
    1979-1980 25 3,091 $1,056,076.7617 2,179,912.1100 $484.46
    1978-1979 29 2,657 $671,071,770.27 1,696,906.1200 $395.47
    1977-1978 40 2,565 $734,577,690.00 2,000,901.0000 $367.12

Revenue and activity by fiscal year (April to March)

Table 3. Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) Agreements by Year

 2023-20242022-20232021-20222020-20212019-2020
Total Hectares in Active PNG Agreements23,085,50623,300,97324,142,03025,150,90126,604,510
Number of active PNG Agreements64,68865,29067,00169,24473,065

Table 4. Annual Revenue (rounded to the nearest dollar)

 2023-2024
($)
2022-2023
($)
2021-2022
($)
2020-2021
($)
2019-2020
($)
Public Offering (bonus)376,250,544381,597,401162,535,706162,535,70620,684,799
Annual Rent79,819,50779,680,92182,231,53288,321,50794,891,545
Offset Compensation1,736,1793,783,8892,470,491460,5031,079,188

Table 5. Annual Activity

 2023-20242022-20232021-20222020-20212019-2020
PNG Agreements Issued1,3561,3548553321,523
PNG Agreements Surrendered3627081,4893,1141,556
PNG Agreements Renewed1,2841,4621,3915781,402
PNG Agreements Transferred6,0584,6845,9767,2856,498
PNG Agreements Cancelled1,8432,2151,9871,1602,596
Non-Productivity Notices Issued407235502478732
Trespass Determined21371414

Contact

Connect with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure division:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-644-2300
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)

Email:

Energy and Minerals

Bidding – [email protected]
Crown land data – [email protected]
Gas royalty – [email protected]
Oil royalty – [email protected]
PNG continuations – [email protected]
Geothermal – [email protected]
Postings – [email protected]
Rentals – [email protected]
Transfers – [email protected]
Unit agreements – [email protected]
Well administration – [email protected]
Crown Mineral Activity – [email protected]

Environment and Protected Areas

GLIMPS – [email protected]

Address:

Alberta Energy and Minerals 
Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure
North Petroleum Plaza
9945 108 Street*
Edmonton, Alberta  T5K 2G6

*Couriers report to the 2nd floor.