Glossary of Terms
Canada's energy sector uses specialized terminology that can seem complex at first. Whether you're a landman, investor, researcher, or simply curious about how oil and gas wells work, this glossary will help you understand the key concepts.
Regulatory
Provincial regulatory bodies and identification systems used to track oil and gas wells across Canada.
10 termsLicense Status
Well license statuses indicate the current operational state, from active production through abandonment and reclamation.
10 termsMode
Production modes describe how fluids are brought to surface from the reservoir, ranging from natural flow to artificial lift methods.
6 termsField
Oil and gas fields are defined geographic areas containing one or more producing reservoirs, identified by regulatory codes and names.
5 termsPool
Pools are distinct hydrocarbon accumulations within a reservoir, tracked separately for production accounting and reservoir management.
5 termsGeological
Geological terms describe the rock formations, depths, and subsurface characteristics that determine where oil and gas accumulate.
10 termsStructure
Wellbore structure describes the path drilled from surface to target, from simple vertical wells to complex multilateral configurations.
6 termsFluid
Fluid types classify wells by what they produce or inject, from conventional crude oil to specialized injection operations.
10 termsType
Well types classify the primary purpose of a wellbore, from production wells to specialized injection and observation operations.
8 termsReady to explore Canadian wells?