Apache breaths new life into Alberta oil

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CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Oil wells in the Dunvegan reservoir in Alberta, Canada can be "rejuvenated" using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, an Apache Corp. executive said.

Apache announced it had "promising drilling results" from the reservoir in Alberta. The region, known as the Kaybob development area, is said to contain a series of productive plays.

Tim Wall, president of Apache's division in Canada, said he was encouraged by the amounts of oil produced during the initial testing phases.

"These wells were drilled in areas which have been producing for over 40 years but which have the potential to be completely rejuvenated through the application of horizontal drilling and multistage hydraulic fracturing," he said in a statement.

New drilling and exploration technologies used for shale oil and natural gas deposits have unlocked reserves thought once to be off-limits. Some of the practices used, such as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, are thought to be harmful to the environment. Some chemicals associated with fracking fluid are considered toxic.