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Alberta Invests $20 Million to Accelerate Clean Drilling Technologies
Alberta is investing more than $20 million to help companies develop and commercialize new drilling technologies aimed at reducing emissions and expanding clean energy production.
The funding will support the launch of the Alberta Drilling Accelerator, a new program designed to speed up the testing and real-world deployment of emerging technologies such as geothermal energy, lithium extraction, helium recovery, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). The money comes from the province’s Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) fund and will be administered by Emissions Reduction Alberta.
“Alberta’s drilling expertise is second to none,” said Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas. “This funding is all about getting the next generation of drilling tech out of the lab and into the field, powering the world and Alberta’s economy at the same time.”
The province says Alberta’s decades of experience in oil and gas development have made it a global leader in subsurface drilling. That experience, combined with increasing demand for cleaner technologies, puts Alberta in a strong position to commercialize innovations in emerging sectors. However, high upfront costs and limited access to demonstration sites have slowed the pace of development.
The Drilling Accelerator program is intended to close that gap by providing the resources and infrastructure needed to test and scale new technologies in real-world conditions. Alberta officials say this will help companies bring solutions to market more quickly and affordably.
“Drilling technology is highly relevant to Emissions Reduction Alberta’s mandate, as it offers a pathway to direct emissions reduction in the oil and gas sector,” said Justin Riemer, CEO of Emissions Reduction Alberta. “It also plays a critical role in commercializing technologies in emerging areas like geothermal and critical minerals extraction.”
The Alberta Drilling Accelerator will officially launch in fall 2025, with program planning and industry engagement taking place over the summer. Future phases and initiatives are expected to follow, as the province continues to invest in technology that supports both environmental and economic goals.
More details on the program and funding scope will be shared later this year.
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