The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) provides industry with opportunities to obtain exploration rights in the onshore of the Northwest Territories. The exploration rights are issued pursuant to the Petroleum Resources Act (PRA). 

In general, the rights issuance process is as follows:

1. Expression of Interest by communities or companies
2. Request for input from Indigenous Governments and Indigenous Organizations and other government agencies and departments
3. Call for Bids
4. Issuance and management of Interests

Companies and communities are invited to submit Expressions of Interest to obtain the rights to explore the oil and gas potential of petroleum land parcels within the onshore areas of the NWT at any time throughout the calendar year.  The Expressions of Interest received by the Petroleum Resources Office will be recorded, and the identified parcel(s) will be considered by the Minister in selecting the petroleum lands to be specified in a call for bids, along with any input from Indigenous Governments and Indigenous Organizations and GNWT departments and agencies.

There is no deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest in order to be considered for the next Call for Bids.  However, 60 days should be allowed for a review of the Expression of Interest land parcels submitted, including consultation with Indigenous Governments and Indigenous Organizations with asserted territory where the nominated parcels are located. If there are no land use constraints associated with the nominated parcels, or those constraints can be communicated in the Call for Bids, the Minister can issue the Call for Bids, which must remain open for 120 days before the Closing date.

For more information on the rights issuance process for oil and gas in the onshore areas of the NWT contact the Petroleum Resources Office in Inuvik at oilandgasrights@gov.nt.ca.