A new program aimed at dealing with the abandonment and reclamation of oil and gas wells in the province has been launched by the province.

The Accelerated Site Closure Program will see $400 million dollars available over two years with the Ministry of Energy and Resouces overseeing it.

Provincial Energy Minister Bronwyn Eyre says it is a program which will create a number of jobs.

“This program will get Saskatchewan people back to work first and foremost. ” Eyre said.  “We have worked hard to develop a common sense, administratively simple program that creates much-needed jobs in the struggling oil and gas sector.”

The program will be rolled out in several phases with the first one allocating up to 100 million in funding to Saskatchewan service companies contracted to do abandonment and reclamation work.

Up to 8,000 inactive wells and facilities will be abandoned and reclaimed over the life of the program according to the provincial government.