Investment and Trade Office

Mandate

New, expanding or relocating businesses need look no further than the GCRDA for information and confidential assistance. The region's leading resource for economic development services, the GCRDA promotes economic growth and diversification of the local economy.

The people of Guysborough County are committed to developing the economic opportunities that will sustain our communities into the future. Surveys by both the RDA and Municipality of the District of Guysborough  independently confirm that the people of the County see Job creation as a top priority.

Natural gas supply at Goldboro comes from the offshore Scotian Shelf through the Sable Offshore Energy Incorporated pipeline.These two pieces of critical converging infrastructure provide sufficient volumes of natural gas supply at a single location to allow for the development of downstream petroleum industry.

EnCana's Deep Panuke project is expected to be in production in 2010.  Production from Deep Panuke is estimated between 200-300,000 million cubic feet of gas per day.  

Natural Gas will make Guysborough County the area of choice for the development of a host of industries seeking a cost effective source of energy, ice-free deep water harbour as well as connecting directly to transportation infrastructure..These attributes provide a compelling business case for large scale energy related investment.

With a commitment from a variety of partners, Guysborough County Regional Development Authority will shepherd the region into a new era of economic prosperity. The office works with potential investors to provide numerous services including:

• Facilitating the development process
• Digital mapping support
• Community and municipal government liaison
• Identification of skill shortages within the local labour force and works with various partners to ensure training programs are available to meet changing industrial needs
• Support during the Environmental Review process

Sable Offshore Energy Project (SOEP) Experience

Why Goldboro – History of the Development

The Goldboro area has a rich history of industrial prosperity. It was a busy shipping harbour often utilized by vessels seeking shelter from storms. The area was a booming gold mining community from the mid 1800's to the early 1900's, hence the name Goldboro.

Mobil Oil originally started looking at the Goldboro region back in the early 1980's for the proposed Venture Project. A nature carved canyon makes its way from the offshore shelf into the Goldboro area. Not only is Goldboro close to the Venture gas-field, but this ancient canyon was the obvious economic and environmental choice for routing a sub-sea natural gas pipeline from the offshore to landfall. Mobil conducted extensive marine studies of the inner harbour to determine the suitability of the area for potential marine development. With the downturn in oil prices in the early 1980's the project was shelved until the early to mid 1990's.

At this time Mobil formed a partnership to help develop several fields on the Scotian Shelf near Sable Island . The SOEI partnerships consisted of Mobil Oil Canada Properties (41 percent), Shell Canada Limited (26 percent), Mosbacher, Imperial Oil Resources Ltd. (9 percent), and Nova Scotia Resources (6 percent).

SOEI Milestones

• Nov 1998 - First SOEI production well spudded at the Thebaud Field
• Jan 1999 - Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline application to construct and operate the first Sable natural gas lateral into Nova Scotia approved by NEB
• June 1999 - SOEI's dual natural gas pipelines across the Strait of Canso completed, to transport 20,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids from the Goldboro Natural Gas Plant to the Point Tupper Fractionation Plant
• June 1999 - SOEI pipeline installation begun
• Aug 1999 - SOEI's Thebaud Central Processing Platform and wellhead installed
  
• Sept 1999 - SOEI's North Triumph and Venture platforms installed
• Dec 1999 - Sable Offshore Energy Project produces first gas
• Dec 1999 - Maritimes & Northeast pipeline receives the first SOEP natural gas

Labour Force

Guysborough County maintains a proud, dedicated and, above all highly developed and skilled workforce. This expertise has been greatly enhanced through experience gained from the Sable Project. Workforce demographics are detailed under workforce submenu of Invest Here.

The Mainland Nova Scotia Building and Construction Trades Council (MNSBTC) have proven, through the Sable development that thousands of skilled labourers living in Nova Scotia possess the kind of expertise and productivity industry looks for to complete major construction on time and within budget. The GCRDA has developed a strong working relationship with the MNSBTC.

Investment and Trade works with investors to identify the necessary skills required to complete the construction phase and fulfill the various positions during the ongoing operational phase of a development. If skill shortages or gaps do exist within the local workforce, the Investment and Trade partners will work with training providers such as the Nova Scotia Community College to develop customize training for potential candidates, ensuring that the necessary skills are available to fill various positions within the operation.

Among the successful projects that the GCRDA has organized was the Seafarers Training program. In partnership with private sector companies and government, training was provided for former fishermen to crew supply boats and tugs for the offshore and other marine related contracts.

Contact Us

Guysborough County Regional
Development Authority - Investment and Trade Office