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 May 2020, Alberta Energy administers about 82,148 PNG agreements.
Tenure sales statistics
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 June 1, 2011. A total of $841.6 million was collected at an average price of $3,110.85 per hectare. This was also the year for 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 sells for is $1.25.
The most money paid for one parcel of petroleum and natural gas rights was $123.6 million on August 24, 2011.
Calendar years leases and licences summary
Table 1. Summary of annual public offering of Crown petroleum and natural gas rights by calendar year – leases and licences
| Year | Parcels sold | Total bonus | Total hectares | Average $/hectare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1,673 | $119,270,187.88 | 820,433.764 | $145.37 |
| 2018 | 2,352 | $405,026,965.34 | 1,360,548.254 | $297.69 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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
| Year | Sales held | Parcels sold | Total bonus | Total hectares | Avg. $/HA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/2020 | 24 | 1,501 | $106,277,200.07 | 774,896,362 | $137.15 |
| 2018/2019 | 24 | 2,084 | $353,608,318.88 | 1,301,265.722 | $271.74 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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 with the following menu options:
- Petroleum and Natural Gas Sales
- Agreement Continuations
- Validation and Rentals
- Crown Land Data, Petrinex and ETS Accounts
- Registration of Transfers and Encumbrances
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-422-1123
Emails:
Energy Bidding – bidding.energy@gov.ab.ca
Energy Crown Land Data – crownlanddatasupport@gov.ab.ca (general inquiries)
Energy PNG Continuations – pngcontinuations.energy@gov.ab.ca
Energy Postings – postings.energy@gov.ab.ca
Energy Rentals – energy.rentals@gov.ab.ca
Energy Transfers – transfers.energy@gov.ab.ca
Energy Unit Agreements – energyunitshelpdesk@gov.ab.ca
Energy Well Administration – welladmin.energy@gov.ab.ca
Address:
Alberta Energy
Petroleum and Natural Gas Tenure
North Petroleum Plaza
9945 108 Street*
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2G6
*Couriers, please report to the 2nd floor.