Pétrolia believes there may be a large volume of oil in a reservoir rock at Bourque. If it turned out to be a significant discovery, it would stimulate investment and possibly drive the development of a new industry for Quebec.
Discovering oil could be a decisive factor in boosting investment, employment and visibility for the regional economy. However, Pétrolia is still at the exploration phase. It would not be until a genuine discovery was made that commercial production would be envisioned. In addition, production could not begin until a number of other analyses were completed, including production tests and a profitability study. Production would officially begin after a lease is granted by Quebec's Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune (MRNF).
If a decisive discovery were made, production could not begin for several months. Pétrolia would need to carry out a profitability study of the field and prepare a development plan, including type of reservoirs, number of wells and transportation. The plan would be used in consultations with municipal representatives. The information would be submitted to the MRNF along with Pétrolia's application for a production lease. Pétrolia would also need to obtain an environmental authorization certificate from the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP). Lastly, the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) would very likely conduct public consultations before any production lease was issued. If it made a significant discovery, Pétrolia would of course ensure that it could develop the field responsibly using the technologies available.