The production of natural gas and petroleum in Eastern Canada during 1970 was 16,844,500 Mcf of gas and 1,056,675 bbl of oil. This represents an increase of 5,267,986 Mcf (47%) of gas and a decrease of 114,112 bbl (9%) of oil from the previous year.

In the Hudson Bay region industry and various government agencies completed 15¼ crew-months of combined geologic and geophysical work. Two stratigraphic test holes completed on land, 1 in Ontario and 1 in Manitoba, accounted for 2,847 ft of drilling.

In southwestern Ontario 70 exploratory tests and 98 development wells were completed during the year--a decrease of 74 exploratory wells and an increase of 34 development wells from the previous year.

A decline in Silurian reef exploration and in Lake Erie exploratory drilling contributed to an overall decrease of 20% in total footage in 1970. There were 2 important gas discoveries from Silurian reef exploration. The overall exploration success was up 50% from 1969, indicative of a high degree of selectivity in locating exploratory tests.

In Quebec 4 exploratory wells were completed. Geologic and geophysical surveys totaled 38¼ crew-months by industry and 17 by government agencies.

In the Atlantic provinces interest was focused on the offshore. Two wells were completed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and 12 on the Scotian shelf representing 149,220 ft of drilling. Offshore east coast holdings increased more than 34,565,587 acres (12%) in 1970 to an all-time high of 312,695,622 acres. In the offshore areas industry accounted for 49½ crew-months of geologic and geophysical activity, whereas government and scientific activity accounted for an additional 4 crew-months.