On Wednesday, Canada's National Energy Board approved ConocoPhillips's request. The appeal by ConocoPhillips requested exploratory drilling in Canada's Northwest Territories. NEB had issued a go signal for the application. This counts as the first time federal regulators in Canada's Far North authorized fracking or horizontal hydraulic fracturing.

In a letter to the company, NEB stated, "The board is satisfied with ConocoPhillips' risk assessment of conducting hydraulic fracturing in the area including a review of the geology and fault identification and the proposed mitigation measures and commitments including microseismic monitoring."

Canada's independent (NEB) National Energy Board whose responsibilities include conservation of resources, protection, and safety of the environment, had given ConocoPhillips the permission to drill two wells close to Norman Wells. These two wells are 100 miles or 160 km south of the Arctic Circle and 728 miles or 1120 km from the territorial capital, Yellowknife.

In June, NEB stated in a press release that ConocoPhillips won a water license from local authorities and land use permit. The company has not commented on the plans for North Canada.