Bay du Nord

The Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Energy Regulator (C‑NLOER) is announcing the details of the public review of the Bay du Nord Development Application.

The review will be conducted in accordance with the C‑NLOER’s Terms of Reference under the Atlantic Accord Acts and is designed to provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the proposed project and share their views.

The proposed Bay du Nord project is based on petroleum discoveries in the Flemish Pass Basin, about 500 kilometers northeast of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Media Contact:
Catherine Warren
saltwaterstrategies@gmail.com

 

The public feedback will help inform the C-NLOER’s assessment of whether the Development Application complies with the applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.

Public Review Period and Participation

The public review period will be open for 60 days, from June 22 to August 20, 2026.

During this time, the public will be able to participate through in-person and virtual sessions, as well as written submissions.

Written Comments

Written comments, technical analyses or requests for clarification may be submitted at any time during the review period.

All written responses may be posted to the C-NLOER website. The responses will not be treated as being confidentially submitted and will be posted in the official language in which they were provided. All identifying information will be removed except the name under which the documents were submitted.

The Board reserves the right to withhold from publication comments that are deemed to be spam or unrelated to the Development Plan Amendment Application.

Written comments on this Application may be submitted via email to information@cnloer.ca. Comments forwarded to any other address of the C-NLOER will not be considered.

The deadline for comments is August 20, 2026. The deadline for questions is one week earlier (August 13) to allow time for questions to be reviewed and answered before the comment period closes.

Schedule of Virtual and In-Person Sessions

Date and Time (NDT) Format Location

June 22, 6:00 p.m.

Virtual Session
(ASL
Interpretation Provided)

 Online (Zoom)

June 23, 6:00 p.m.

In Person

 Clarenville Events Centre, Clarenville, NL

June 24, 6:00 p.m.

In Person

 Marystown Hotel, Marystown, NL

June 25, 6:00 p.m.

Virtual Session

 Online (Zoom)

July 7, 6:00 p.m.

In Person

 Glynmill Inn, Corner Brook, NL

July 8, 6:00 p.m.

In Person

 Quality Hotel, Gander, NL

July 9, 6:00 p.m.

In Person

 Holiday Inn St. John’s Conference Centre, St. John’s, NL

 

The Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Energy Regulator (C‑NLOER) has received a Development Application (DA) from Equinor for the proposed Bay du Nord Project. The DA package consists of:

Part II Documents publicly available following Completeness Review:

* The user understands and agrees that any records made available on this page are being disclosed in accordance with the Accord Acts.

The user agrees to use any downloaded records in a manner consistent with the intellectual property laws of Canada.

Through downloading records from this page the user agrees to indemnify and save harmless the C-NLOER and its respective affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agents from and against all actions, claims, damages, losses, expenses and costs, inclusive of special, indirect or consequential damages, including loss of profit or loss of competitive position by the provider of the records which they or any of them may sustain, incur or become liable for as a result of the disclosure of the records to the user or any of the user’s affiliates, directors, officers, employees or agents, and this indemnity shall continue in full force and effect and be applicable regardless of whether any employees or agents of the user involved in the downloading of records ceases to be employed or engaged by the user.

Neither the provider of the records nor the C-NLOER shall be liable in an action initiated by the user for special, indirect or consequential damages resulting from the disclosure or use of or reliance on any records, including, without limitation, loss of profit or business interruptions, however same may be caused.

The C-NLOER makes no representation or warranty as to the existence or absence of any trademark, copyright or other ownership rights in respect to records downloaded by the user. Nor does the C-NLOER make representation or warranty that records are error free or complete.

By downloading records from this page, the user agrees to be bound by the above terms and conditions, and that any dispute with respect to same shall be governed by the laws of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

C-NLOER Review Process for the Bay du Nord Development Application

The C‑NLOER follows a structured, transparent process to assess Development Applications. The following are the steps required to assess the Bay du Nord Development Application.

Step 1: Completeness Review

  • The C‑NLOER first conducts a completeness review of the Application package to confirm that all required documents and information have been submitted.
  • During this stage, the proponent may be asked to clarify or refine information before the Application moves forward in the regulatory assessment process.

Step 2: Regulatory Assessment by CNLOER Staff

  • Following the completeness review, C‑NLOER staff will then conduct a comprehensive regulatory assessment.
  • This includes evaluating:
    • Safety and operational considerations
    • Alignment with the Impact Assessment and Decision Statement conditions
    • Socioeconomics
    • Industrial benefits
    • Resource management

Step 3:  C-NLOER Public Review Period

  • Following the completeness review, a C-NLOER public review period will also be scheduled. Details of how and when external parties can contribute to the C-NLOER review will be announced as soon as details are available.
  • The public feedback will help inform the C-NLOER’s assessment of whether the Development Application complies with the applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.

Step 4: C-NLOER Recommendation to Regulator Members (the Board)

  • After the public review closes and regulatory assessments are complete:
    • C‑NLOER staff consolidate their findings.
    • Public review input is analyzed and documented.
    • Staff develop a Staff Analysis report and formal recommendations for the Regulator Members.

Step 5: Decision by the Regulator Members (the Board)

  • Regulator Members review:
    • Development Application
    • Staff Analysis report and recommendations
    • Input received during the C-NLOER public review
    • Benefits Plan Application
  • the Benefits Plan approval is a Regulatory Member decision and is not a fundamental decision under the Atlantic Accord Acts.

Step 6: Federal and Provincial Ministerial Approval

  • Following approval by C-NLOER Regulator Members, the Development Application, with the exception of the Benefits Plan, is submitted for Fundamental Decision to the Federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Provincial Minister of Energy and Mines, as required under the Atlantic Accord Acts.

Step 7: C-NLOER website updated with Staff Analysis and Decision Report

  • The C-NLOER Staff Analysis and Decision Report will be posted to the C-NLOER website.

For further details and answers to common questions, please refer to the FAQ document:

Dr. Rob Greenwood with Conach Consulting is a highly respected and nationally recognized leader in public policy and economic development, with more than three decades of experience spanning senior government roles, Crown corporations, academia, and the energy sector. His career includes serving as Deputy Minister in Newfoundland and Labrador, Assistant Deputy Minister in Saskatchewan, Associate Vice-President of Memorial University, and the founding Director of the Harris Centre, where he led evidence‑based policy initiatives and complex public dialogue for twenty years. Known for his integrity, independence, and strategic insight, Dr. Greenwood has built a reputation for aligning government, industry, and communities around some of the most challenging issues facing the province and the country.

With a lifelong connection to Newfoundland and Labrador’s energy sector, Dr. Greenwood began his career offshore as a steward, roustabout, and mud‑logging engineer, spending more than a year aboard the Ocean Ranger. This early experience shaped a career-long commitment to understanding and advancing the province’s economic, environmental, and industrial innovation landscape. He has led numerous research initiatives on economic development, public policy, and Newfoundland and Labrador–Norway comparative studies and is widely regarded as a trusted convenor of industry–academic–government exchanges on topics ranging from oil and gas impacts and rig safety to fracking, employment diversity, R&D, and regional development.

Throughout his career, Dr. Greenwood has designed and delivered major public engagement processes, producing strategies, what we heard reports, and policy frameworks that have shaped provincial and institutional decision‑making. His leadership has guided initiatives such as the Newfoundland and Labrador Task Force on Community Economic Development, the establishment of 20 Regional Economic Development Boards, Saskatchewan’s Provincial Economic Development Strategy, Memorial University’s Research and Public Engagement Frameworks, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Futures Public Policy Initiative. A seasoned executive and team builder, he has led high‑performance organizations across sectors, with extensive experience in change management, communications, facilitation, and organizational performance. Dr. Greenwood’s public service also includes senior roles under all three major Canadian political parties, as well as serving as Vice President of Corporate Development for Saskatchewan’s Information Services Corporation.