据WENews网站1月 18日伦敦报道，由于加拿大-新斯科舍省海上石油委员会(NSOPB)表示英国石油公司加拿大分公司将归还包括在其许可证中的50%区域，英国石油公司加拿大分公司正在缩减其在新斯科舍省海上的油气勘探计划。

据NSOPB所说，勘探许可证2434R中包括的一半区域是由距离哈利法克斯东南大约300公里处的四个探区组成。

此前，英国石油公司在其勘探许可证的第一阶段中未能钻取4口井，而勘探许可证的第二阶段需要获得批准。

NSOPB说，英国石油公司还同意支付100万美元的钻探保证金，把原定于1月14日结束的其勘探许可证第一阶段延长一年。

据新斯科舍省政府估计，新斯科舍省海上天然气储量为121万亿立方英尺，石油储量为80亿桶。

NSOPB表示，如果英国石油公司决定在延长的第一阶段勘探期间再钻取一口井，该公司必须申请授权。

李峻   编译自   WENews.com

原文如下：

BP Gives Up Acreage Offshore Nova Scotia

BP Canada is scaling back its oil and gas exploration plans off Nova Scotia, as the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (NSOPB) said the company is giving back 50% of the area included in its license.

According to NSOPB, half of the area included in in Exploration License 2434R is a consolidation of four offshore parcels roughly 300 kilometers southeast of Halifax.

The move comes after BP failed to drill four wells within the first phase of its exploration license, which is required for approval of the second phase.

The petroleum board said BP also agreed to pay a $1 million drilling deposit to extend the first phase of its exploratory license, which was scheduled to end January 14, by one year.

The Nova Scotia government has estimated a potential resource of 121T cf of gas and 8B barrels of oil off its shores.

If BP decides to drill another well during its extended first phase exploration period, the board said the company must apply for authorization.