[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"learn-\u002Flearn\u002Findustries\u002Fenergy-api-oil-gas-developers-canada":3,"learn-related-industries\u002Fenergy-api-oil-gas-developers-canada":392},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":365,"createdAt":366,"cta":367,"description":369,"extension":370,"icon":366,"industry":371,"keywords":372,"meta":379,"navigation":380,"path":381,"province":366,"relatedPages":382,"section":384,"seo":385,"stem":386,"systems":387,"updatedAt":366,"__hash__":391},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Findustries\u002Fenergy-api-oil-gas-developers-canada.md","Energy API for Oil and Gas Developers in Canada",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":354},"minimark",[9,13,17,20,25,33,40,46,52,58,64,70,77,98,102,105,112,116,123,126,194,197,200,204,281,288,292,325,329,332,336,342,348],[10,11,5],"h1",{"id":12},"energy-api-for-oil-and-gas-developers-in-canada",[14,15,16],"p",{},"An oil and gas developer building a land management system needs well counts, Crown tenure status, and pipeline proximity for a given Legal Subdivision. The underlying data exists across multiple regulatory sources: AER ST37 for wells, AER ST76 for pipelines, provincial Crown tenure registries for PNG and mineral rights. Pulling from each source and keeping it current is a project in itself.",[14,18,19],{},"The Township Canada Energy API provides this data through a single authenticated endpoint. Send an LSD legal land description in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba, and the response returns wells, pipelines, facilities, Crown tenure intersections, and 12-month production for that parcel, all in one call.",[21,22,24],"h2",{"id":23},"what-the-api-returns","What the API returns",[14,26,27,28,32],{},"A request to the Energy API with a legal land description such as ",[29,30,31],"code",{},"7-10-13-9-W4"," returns a structured response with these sections:",[14,34,35,39],{},[36,37,38],"strong",{},"Summary",": total wells on the parcel, broken down by status (active, suspended, abandoned, orphan), plus facility and pipeline counts.",[14,41,42,45],{},[36,43,44],{},"Wells",": individual provincial well records within the Legal Subdivision, including orphan and abandoned flags. The report API supports Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba; available datasets vary by province.",[14,47,48,51],{},[36,49,50],{},"Pipelines",": pipeline crossings through the parcel with substance, status, pressure class, H2S content, and segment length. Pipeline report data covers Alberta and Saskatchewan.",[14,53,54,57],{},[36,55,56],{},"Facilities",": AER-licensed facilities on or adjacent to the parcel (Alberta and Saskatchewan).",[14,59,60,63],{},[36,61,62],{},"Crown tenure",": intersecting Crown PNG and mineral dispositions in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, where published expiry dates are available.",[14,65,66,69],{},[36,67,68],{},"Production",": trailing 12-month oil, gas, water, and condensate volumes.",[14,71,72],{},[73,74],"img",{"alt":75,"src":76},"Live Energy API response excerpt for 7-10-13-9-W4, showing summary and well records.","\u002Fimages\u002Flearn\u002Fenergy-api-oil-gas-developers-canada\u002Fresponse.png",[14,78,79,80,83,84,83,87,83,90,93,94,97],{},"Response excerpt captured on September 29, 2026. Collection sections use envelopes with ",[29,81,82],{},"total",", ",[29,85,86],{},"returned",[29,88,89],{},"truncated",[29,91,92],{},"more",", and ",[29,95,96],{},"rows",".",[21,99,101],{"id":100},"a-practical-scenario","A practical scenario",[14,103,104],{},"A pipeline company is building an internal tool that screens proposed route segments for nearby energy infrastructure. Without the API, this means querying AER OneStop for wells, pulling pipeline data from a separate ST76 download, cross-referencing tenure registries, and reconciling all of it against Legal Subdivision boundaries.",[14,106,107,108,111],{},"With the Energy API, the tool sends the Legal Subdivision for each segment (for example, ",[29,109,110],{},"06-32-048-07W5",") and gets wells with abandonment status, pipeline crossings with substance and pressure class, and active Crown tenure with expiry dates in one response. One integration replaces four, and the data refreshes on Township Canada's update cycle rather than requiring a manual download.",[21,113,115],{"id":114},"authentication-and-access","Authentication and access",[14,117,118,119,122],{},"The Energy API uses API key authentication over HTTPS. You generate a key from your Township Canada account, include it in the ",[29,120,121],{},"X-API-Key"," header, and make requests against the API endpoint.",[14,124,125],{},"Three tiers are available, each with a monthly request quota and rate limit:",[127,128,129,148],"table",{},[130,131,132],"thead",{},[133,134,135,139,142,145],"tr",{},[136,137,138],"th",{},"Tier",[136,140,141],{},"Monthly cost",[136,143,144],{},"Requests per month",[136,146,147],{},"Rate limit",[149,150,151,166,180],"tbody",{},[133,152,153,157,160,163],{},[154,155,156],"td",{},"Build",[154,158,159],{},"$50 CAD",[154,161,162],{},"500",[154,164,165],{},"1 req\u002Fs",[133,167,168,171,174,177],{},[154,169,170],{},"Scale",[154,172,173],{},"$250 CAD",[154,175,176],{},"5,000",[154,178,179],{},"2 req\u002Fs",[133,181,182,185,188,191],{},[154,183,184],{},"Enterprise",[154,186,187],{},"$1,250 CAD",[154,189,190],{},"50,000",[154,192,193],{},"5 req\u002Fs",[14,195,196],{},"All amounts are in Canadian dollars. Annual billing (pay for 10 months, get 12) is available on each tier.",[14,198,199],{},"The Energy API is a standalone product, purchased independently of the web app subscription or the Energy Bundle add-on.",[21,201,203],{"id":202},"coverage","Coverage",[127,205,206,226],{},[130,207,208],{},[133,209,210,213,217,220,223],{},[136,211,212],{},"Dataset",[136,214,216],{"align":215},"center","AB",[136,218,219],{"align":215},"SK",[136,221,222],{"align":215},"BC",[136,224,225],{"align":215},"MB",[149,227,228,242,255,268],{},[133,229,230,232,235,237,240],{},[154,231,44],{},[154,233,234],{"align":215},"Yes",[154,236,234],{"align":215},[154,238,239],{"align":215},"No",[154,241,234],{"align":215},[133,243,244,247,249,251,253],{},[154,245,246],{},"Pipelines, facilities, production",[154,248,234],{"align":215},[154,250,234],{"align":215},[154,252,239],{"align":215},[154,254,239],{"align":215},[133,256,257,260,262,264,266],{},[154,258,259],{},"Crown PNG and mineral tenure",[154,261,234],{"align":215},[154,263,234],{"align":215},[154,265,239],{"align":215},[154,267,234],{"align":215},[133,269,270,273,275,277,279],{},[154,271,272],{},"CCS pore space and geothermal tenure",[154,274,234],{"align":215},[154,276,239],{"align":215},[154,278,239],{"align":215},[154,280,239],{"align":215},[14,282,283,284,287],{},"BC requests currently return ",[29,285,286],{},"400 bc_not_supported",". The web app has separate BC coverage. Manitoba report coverage includes wells and Crown tenure.",[21,289,291],{"id":290},"related-resources","Related resources",[293,294,295,304,311,318],"ul",{},[296,297,298,303],"li",{},[299,300,302],"a",{"href":301},"\u002Flearn\u002Findustries\u002Foil-and-gas","Legal land descriptions for oil and gas",": how the DLS system works in energy workflows",[296,305,306,310],{},[299,307,309],{"href":308},"\u002Flearn\u002Fsystems\u002Flsd","LSD: Legal Subdivision",": the addressing unit for well locations and parcel reports",[296,312,313,317],{},[299,314,316],{"href":315},"\u002Fblog\u002Fuwi-to-gps-developers-guide","UWI to GPS: the O&G developer's guide",": parsing Unique Well Identifiers and converting at scale",[296,319,320,324],{},[299,321,323],{"href":322},"\u002Fpricing","Pricing",": Energy API tier details and annual billing",[21,326,328],{"id":327},"get-started","Get started",[14,330,331],{},"Generate an API key from your Township Canada account and make your first request with a Legal Subdivision you already know. The response structure is consistent across supported provinces, with explicit gaps where a dataset is unavailable.",[21,333,335],{"id":334},"faq","FAQ",[14,337,338,341],{},[36,339,340],{},"What data formats does the Energy API return?","\nThe API returns JSON. Wells, pipelines, facilities, and tenure are collection envelopes containing rows and counts; summary and production are objects.",[14,343,344,347],{},[36,345,346],{},"Can I query by GPS coordinates instead of a legal land description?","\nThe Energy API report accepts LSD legal land descriptions. If you have GPS coordinates, use the Township Canada Search API to resolve them to a legal land description first, then pass that to the Energy API.",[14,349,350,353],{},[36,351,352],{},"How often is the underlying data refreshed?","\nWells, pipelines, facilities, and production data update monthly from AER and Petrinex sources. Crown PNG and mineral tenure data updates weekly.",{"title":355,"searchDepth":356,"depth":356,"links":357},"",2,[358,359,360,361,362,363,364],{"id":23,"depth":356,"text":24},{"id":100,"depth":356,"text":101},{"id":114,"depth":356,"text":115},{"id":202,"depth":356,"text":203},{"id":290,"depth":356,"text":291},{"id":327,"depth":356,"text":328},{"id":334,"depth":356,"text":335},"industry-system",null,{"label":368,"href":322},"See Energy API pricing","Programmatic access to Canadian energy parcel data: well sites, Crown tenure, pipelines, and production via the Township Canada Energy API.","md","oil-and-gas",[373,374,375,376,377,378],"township canada energy api oil gas canada","energy parcel data api","well site lookup api canada","crown tenure api","dls to gps api oil gas","pipeline data api canada",{},true,"\u002Flearn\u002Findustries\u002Fenergy-api-oil-gas-developers-canada",[301,308,383],"\u002Flearn\u002Fsystems\u002Fdls","industries",{"title":5,"description":369},"learn\u002Findustries\u002Fenergy-api-oil-gas-developers-canada",[388,389,390],"DLS","LSD","NTS","QnGnm0RiR6dO2Lfc_PguuUPOXHGV0ipVfBYZfwuJQ_w",[393,731,1244],{"id":394,"title":395,"body":396,"category":366,"createdAt":366,"cta":711,"description":714,"extension":370,"icon":366,"industry":371,"keywords":715,"meta":722,"navigation":380,"path":301,"province":723,"relatedPages":724,"section":384,"seo":726,"stem":727,"systems":728,"updatedAt":366,"__hash__":730},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Findustries\u002Foil-and-gas.md","Legal Land Descriptions for Oil and Gas",{"type":7,"value":397,"toc":694},[398,401,404,407,411,414,421,429,433,438,441,448,458,464,468,471,483,487,494,501,505,509,516,531,539,543,546,559,563,566,569,573,590,602,608,614,625,636,647,651,654,657,664,668,678],[10,399,395],{"id":400},"legal-land-descriptions-for-oil-and-gas",[14,402,403],{},"Every well in western Canada has an address. Not a postal code or a civic number - a legal land description tied to the Dominion Land Survey grid. The Alberta Energy Regulator tracks over 530,000 wells, every one of them identified by a combination of Legal Subdivision, Section, Township, Range, and Meridian. Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the BC Peace River region use the same system. If you work in oil and gas land administration, regulatory compliance, engineering, or field operations, legal land descriptions are part of daily work.",[14,405,406],{},"This page explains how the DLS system applies to oil and gas, which survey systems matter in which regions, and how Township Canada streamlines the conversion workflows that come up constantly in this industry.",[21,408,410],{"id":409},"why-legal-land-descriptions-matter-in-oil-and-gas","Why Legal Land Descriptions Matter in Oil and Gas",[14,412,413],{},"Regulatory bodies across western Canada use legal land descriptions as the authoritative location identifier for energy facilities. The AER in Alberta, the BC Oil and Gas Commission (BCOGC), and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources all accept - and in most cases require - DLS references in licence applications, reports, and maps.",[14,415,416,417,420],{},"A legal land description is unambiguous in a way that an address or a verbal description is not. \"Near Drayton Valley\" could mean a dozen different townships. ",[36,418,419],{},"LSD 14-27-048-05W5"," means exactly one 40-acre parcel, identifiable on every survey map and regulatory database in the province.",[14,422,423,424,428],{},"That precision matters when a well licence needs to clear a minimum distance spacing unit, when a pipeline route must avoid a licensed water source, or when a surface lease agreement needs a court-defensible boundary description. Surface lease applications are especially sensitive to location errors - a single transposed LSD digit in an AER filing can invalidate a signed agreement. See ",[299,425,427],{"href":426},"\u002Fblog\u002Fsurface-lease-legal-land-descriptions-aer-filings","Surface Lease Legal Land Descriptions: What Alberta Landmen Need to Know Before AER Filings"," for the common failure points and how to catch them before submission.",[21,430,432],{"id":431},"survey-systems-used-in-oil-and-gas","Survey Systems Used in Oil and Gas",[434,435,437],"h3",{"id":436},"dls-and-lsd","DLS and LSD",[14,439,440],{},"The Dominion Land Survey is the primary addressing system for oil and gas in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Within the DLS, the Legal Subdivision (LSD) provides the most precise level of location - a 40-acre parcel within a 640-acre section.",[14,442,443,444,447],{},"A standard oil and gas location reference looks like ",[36,445,446],{},"LSD 06-22-049-11W5",": Legal Subdivision 6, Section 22, Township 49, Range 11, West of the 5th Meridian. That puts the location northwest of Rocky Mountain House. The LSD number (1–16) identifies the 40-acre quarter of a quarter section, numbered from southeast to northwest.",[14,449,450,451,454,455,97],{},"Learn how the grid fits together at ",[299,452,453],{"href":383},"Understanding the DLS System"," and ",[299,456,457],{"href":308},"How LSDs Are Numbered",[459,460],"marketing-dls-grid-diagrams",{"highlighted-lsd":461,"highlighted-quarter":462,"highlighted-section":463},"14","NE","27",[434,465,467],{"id":466},"nts-in-british-columbia","NTS in British Columbia",[14,469,470],{},"BC operations east of the Rockies - Montney, Horn River, Liard Basin - often appear in both DLS (for the Peace River region) and NTS format. The BC Oil and Gas Commission accepts NTS grid references, particularly for exploration areas outside the established DLS grid.",[14,472,473,474,477,478,482],{},"An NTS reference like ",[36,475,476],{},"094B\u002F12-E"," identifies a map sheet (094B), grid block (12), and half-block (E). For field work in BC's northeast, knowing how to convert NTS references to GPS is as important as knowing the DLS system. See ",[299,479,481],{"href":480},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Fnts-to-gps-converter","NTS to GPS Converter"," for a full walkthrough.",[434,484,486],{"id":485},"the-unique-well-identifier-uwi","The Unique Well Identifier (UWI)",[14,488,489,490,493],{},"The UWI embeds the legal land description directly in the well name. A UWI like ",[29,491,492],{},"100\u002F14-27-048-05W5\u002F00"," breaks down as: event sequence prefix (100), LSD location (14-27-048-05W5), and event suffix (00). The location portion is the DLS address - pulling the GPS coordinates means converting that middle segment using the same method as any other LSD.",[14,495,496,497,500],{},"Some databases use a slash-delimited format; others compress it to ",[29,498,499],{},"10014270480500",". Township Canada parses both formats.",[21,502,504],{"id":503},"real-world-scenarios","Real-World Scenarios",[434,506,508],{"id":507},"scenario-1-well-licence-filing","Scenario 1: Well Licence Filing",[14,510,511,512,515],{},"A land administrator at a Calgary-based operator receives a new well licence application. The surface location is listed as ",[36,513,514],{},"LSD 09-15-062-20W5"," - a site in the Deep Basin gas area northwest of Grande Prairie. Before submitting to the AER, the team needs to:",[517,518,519,522,525,528],"ol",{},[296,520,521],{},"Confirm the LSD falls within the correct Crown land block",[296,523,524],{},"Verify minimum distance spacing from existing wellbores",[296,526,527],{},"Generate GPS coordinates for the drilling contractor's navigation system",[296,529,530],{},"Produce a location map for the licence package",[14,532,533,534,538],{},"Enter the LSD into ",[299,535,537],{"href":536},"\u002F","Township Canada"," and the parcel appears on the survey grid with latitude and longitude. Export the point as KML and it loads directly into the mapping software used for the licence package. The whole process takes under two minutes.",[434,540,542],{"id":541},"scenario-2-pipeline-route-planning","Scenario 2: Pipeline Route Planning",[14,544,545],{},"A pipeline from Edson to Whitecourt covers roughly 80 kilometres and intersects dozens of sections across Ranges 14 through 19, W5M. The regulatory filing for the AER requires coordinates for every crossing point - roads, watercourses, and existing pipelines.",[14,547,548,549,553,554,558],{},"The engineering team pulls the route LSDs from the land system and uploads the complete list to the ",[299,550,552],{"href":551},"\u002Fapp\u002Fbatch","batch converter",". The result is a CSV with latitude and longitude for every point, plus a KML that loads the entire route into Google Earth for visual verification. See the ",[299,555,557],{"href":556},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Fbatch-convert-legal-land-descriptions","batch conversion guide"," for step-by-step instructions on preparing large location lists.",[434,560,562],{"id":561},"scenario-3-well-database-management","Scenario 3: Well Database Management",[14,564,565],{},"A production company acquires 140 wells from another operator. The acquisition data comes as a spreadsheet with UWIs in a legacy format - some valid, some with transposed digits, a few referencing ranges that don't exist at the given meridian.",[14,567,568],{},"Run the full list through batch conversion. The processing report flags every location that doesn't resolve to a valid parcel: the transposed township-range combination that places a well in an uninhabited tundra, the LSD that's outside the survey grid for that meridian, and the one where the range number was entered as letters instead of numbers. Clean the data before it goes into the production database rather than discovering the errors during an AER audit.",[21,570,572],{"id":571},"how-township-canada-handles-oil-and-gas-workflows","How Township Canada Handles Oil and Gas Workflows",[14,574,575,578,579,83,582,585,586,97],{},[36,576,577],{},"Single location lookup",": Enter any LSD in DLS format - ",[29,580,581],{},"14-27-048-05W5",[29,583,584],{},"NW 22-054-12W5",", or any other standard notation - and get GPS coordinates, a map view, and export options within seconds. Try the ",[299,587,589],{"href":588},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Fdls-to-gps-converter","DLS to GPS converter",[14,591,592,595,596,599,600,97],{},[36,593,594],{},"Batch processing",": Upload a CSV or paste a list of LSDs and convert hundreds or thousands of locations at once. Download results as CSV or KML. Available on the ",[299,597,598],{"href":322},"Business plan",". Try it at ",[299,601,551],{"href":551},[14,603,604,607],{},[36,605,606],{},"UWI parsing",": Paste a UWI in full format and Township Canada extracts the LSD portion automatically, returning the GPS location for the surface hole.",[14,609,610,613],{},[36,611,612],{},"Meridian verification",": Township Canada validates that the meridian and range combination is geographically possible before returning a result, catching the most common data entry errors.",[14,615,616,619,620,624],{},[36,617,618],{},"Snowflake integration",": If your well data lives in Snowflake, you can convert DLS locations to GPS coordinates directly in SQL - no exports or Python scripts needed. See ",[299,621,623],{"href":622},"\u002Fblog\u002Fsnowflake-dls-enrichment","how Snowflake DLS enrichment works"," for the full walkthrough.",[14,626,627,630,631,635],{},[36,628,629],{},"Multi-province energy map",": For land or GIS work that crosses provincial borders, the Wells and Fields & Pools layers cover AB, SK, BC, and MB; Pipelines and Facilities cover AB, SK, and BC. All layers share a single toggle with Province, Substance, Type, and Status filters. See ",[299,632,634],{"href":633},"\u002Fblog\u002Fmulti-province-energy-map-western-canada","one energy layer panel across four provinces"," for the workflow.",[14,637,638,641,642,646],{},[36,639,640],{},"Documented provenance",": Every energy layer behind the parcel report (AER ST37 wells, ST76 pipelines, Petrinex volumetrics, CCS tenure, and the rest) now has its own data-source page with publisher, refresh cadence, and attribution. See ",[299,643,645],{"href":644},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbehind-the-map-energy-agriculture-data-sources","what's behind the map: a guide to the energy and agriculture data sources"," for the walkthrough.",[21,648,650],{"id":649},"the-meridian-the-most-common-source-of-errors","The Meridian - the Most Common Source of Errors",[14,652,653],{},"Getting the meridian wrong in an oil and gas context doesn't just produce an inaccurate map - it can put a field crew 250 kilometres from the actual wellsite. W5 is central Alberta; W4 is the Saskatchewan border. The same township-range-LSD combination at W4 instead of W5 produces a completely different location.",[14,655,656],{},"Always verify the meridian against the original source document. When working with legacy data, watch for records where the meridian was omitted or entered as a number without the W prefix. Township Canada requires the full meridian designation and will flag incomplete entries rather than guessing.",[14,658,659,660,97],{},"For a full explanation of how meridians divide the DLS grid, see ",[299,661,663],{"href":662},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Ftownship-range-meridian-explained","Township, Range, and Meridian Explained",[21,665,667],{"id":666},"try-it-with-a-real-well-location","Try It with a Real Well Location",[14,669,670,671,673,674,677],{},"Enter ",[36,672,581],{}," into the ",[299,675,676],{"href":536},"Township Canada converter"," to see the result. That's a producing area parcel near Drayton Valley that appears in thousands of AER records. The converter returns the GPS coordinates, places the LSD on the survey grid, and shows surrounding parcels for context.",[14,679,680,681,685,686,688,689,691,692,97],{},"For individual LSD lookups, use the ",[299,682,684],{"href":683},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Flsd-finder","LSD finder",". For section or quarter section searches, try the ",[299,687,589],{"href":588},". For bulk location files, the ",[299,690,552],{"href":551}," handles thousands of records on a ",[299,693,598],{"href":322},{"title":355,"searchDepth":356,"depth":356,"links":695},[696,697,703,708,709,710],{"id":409,"depth":356,"text":410},{"id":431,"depth":356,"text":432,"children":698},[699,701,702],{"id":436,"depth":700,"text":437},3,{"id":466,"depth":700,"text":467},{"id":485,"depth":700,"text":486},{"id":503,"depth":356,"text":504,"children":704},[705,706,707],{"id":507,"depth":700,"text":508},{"id":541,"depth":700,"text":542},{"id":561,"depth":700,"text":562},{"id":571,"depth":356,"text":572},{"id":649,"depth":356,"text":650},{"id":666,"depth":356,"text":667},{"label":712,"href":713},"Convert a well location now","\u002F?example=14-27-048-05W5","How oil and gas professionals use DLS, LSD, NTS, and UWI to identify well locations, plan pipeline routes, and meet AER filing requirements across western Canada.",[716,717,718,719,720,721],"oil and gas legal land description","well licence location","AER filing coordinates","UWI lookup","lsd to gps oil and gas","pipeline route legal land description",{},"alberta",[383,308,725,588],"\u002Flearn\u002Fprovinces\u002Falberta",{"title":395,"description":714},"learn\u002Findustries\u002Foil-and-gas",[388,389,390,729],"UWI","Bs4QmG35PuIi6ZUylxG2GoW_ifwLFuPI_KXXO66fSKw",{"id":732,"title":733,"body":734,"category":366,"createdAt":366,"cta":1227,"description":1229,"extension":370,"icon":366,"industry":366,"keywords":1230,"meta":1236,"navigation":380,"path":383,"province":366,"relatedPages":1237,"section":1239,"seo":1240,"stem":1241,"systems":1242,"updatedAt":366,"__hash__":1243},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Fsystems\u002Fdls.md","The Dominion Land Survey (DLS) System Explained",{"type":7,"value":735,"toc":1200},[736,739,742,745,749,752,755,758,762,765,769,772,810,813,817,820,824,827,834,838,845,849,852,856,859,868,871,875,878,903,906,909,913,916,936,940,944,967,970,974,979,999,1002,1006,1011,1035,1038,1042,1045,1051,1057,1063,1069,1073,1077,1080,1084,1095,1099,1109,1113,1116,1120,1123,1127,1130,1162,1165,1178,1182,1189],[10,737,733],{"id":738},"the-dominion-land-survey-dls-system-explained",[14,740,741],{},"Western Canada was surveyed with a precision that still shapes how land is bought, sold, regulated, and drilled today. The Dominion Land Survey system created in 1871 divides Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and part of British Columbia into a nested grid of meridians, townships, ranges, sections, and quarter sections. If you work with land in these provinces - in oil and gas, agriculture, real estate, or any regulated industry - you will encounter DLS descriptions constantly.",[14,743,744],{},"This page explains how the system was designed, how each level of the hierarchy works, and how to read and convert DLS references accurately.",[21,746,748],{"id":747},"origins-the-dominion-lands-act-of-1871","Origins: The Dominion Lands Act of 1871",[14,750,751],{},"After Confederation in 1867, the Canadian government faced an enormous challenge: opening the Northwest Territories to settlement while maintaining sovereignty against American expansion. The solution was systematic survey before settlement - establish a precise grid across the entire prairie, then grant numbered parcels to settlers, railways, and the Hudson's Bay Company.",[14,753,754],{},"Parliament passed the Dominion Lands Act in 1871, and the first survey crews began work near Winnipeg the same year. The system drew heavily on the American Public Land Survey System, adapting it for Canadian latitudes and incorporating corrections for the convergence of meridian lines toward the north pole. By the early 1900s, survey parties had covered most of the agricultural prairies. The result was one of the largest systematic land surveys ever completed - over 800 million acres gridded with enough precision to describe individual 40-acre parcels.",[14,756,757],{},"The Dominion Lands Branch of the federal government administered the survey. The name has largely disappeared from everyday use, but the grid it created remains the legal foundation for land ownership and resource tenure across four provinces.",[21,759,761],{"id":760},"the-hierarchy-how-the-grid-is-built","The Hierarchy: How the Grid is Built",[14,763,764],{},"The DLS works outward from fixed reference lines. Understanding each level makes it possible to read any DLS description accurately.",[434,766,768],{"id":767},"principal-meridians","Principal Meridians",[14,770,771],{},"Everything in the DLS is measured west of a principal meridian. Canada uses six meridians in the DLS:",[293,773,774,780,786,792,798,804],{},[296,775,776,779],{},[36,777,778],{},"1st Meridian (W1M)",": 97°27'28\" W - runs through Manitoba, just west of Winnipeg",[296,781,782,785],{},[36,783,784],{},"2nd Meridian (W2M)",": 102°W - runs through central Saskatchewan",[296,787,788,791],{},[36,789,790],{},"3rd Meridian (W3M)",": 106°W - runs through western Saskatchewan",[296,793,794,797],{},[36,795,796],{},"4th Meridian (W4M)",": 110°W - the Alberta-Saskatchewan border",[296,799,800,803],{},[36,801,802],{},"5th Meridian (W5M)",": 114°W - runs through central Alberta",[296,805,806,809],{},[36,807,808],{},"6th Meridian (W6M)",": 118°W - runs through the BC Peace River region",[14,811,812],{},"Ranges are numbered eastward and westward from each meridian. A description \"West of the 4th Meridian\" (W4) places a parcel in eastern Alberta or western Saskatchewan.",[434,814,816],{"id":815},"baselines","Baselines",[14,818,819],{},"Each meridian has a corresponding baseline running east-west at a specific latitude. Townships are numbered north from the baseline. Township 1 is the first row of townships north of the baseline; Township 100 is roughly the 60th parallel in Alberta.",[434,821,823],{"id":822},"townships","Townships",[14,825,826],{},"A township is a roughly 6-mile by 6-mile square containing 36 sections. Townships are numbered from 1 northward from the baseline. Township 48 in Alberta, for example, sits about 290 kilometres north of the US border.",[14,828,829,830,833],{},"The word \"township\" refers both to this survey unit and to the coordinate within the DLS address. In the description ",[36,831,832],{},"NE-14-032-21W4",", the number 032 is the township number.",[434,835,837],{"id":836},"ranges","Ranges",[14,839,840,841,844],{},"Ranges measure east-west distance from a meridian. Range 1 is the first column of townships east or west of the meridian; Range 30 is roughly 180 kilometres away. In DLS descriptions, the range number always appears with a meridian designation: ",[36,842,843],{},"21W4"," means Range 21, West of the 4th Meridian.",[434,846,848],{"id":847},"correction-lines","Correction Lines",[14,850,851],{},"As survey crews moved north, the earth's curvature caused east-west survey lines to converge. The DLS accounts for this through correction lines - latitudes where township widths are reset to 6 miles. These occur roughly every 24 townships (about every 145 kilometres). Land near a correction line may have irregular parcels at the township boundary, a detail that matters in legal descriptions of affected parcels.",[434,853,855],{"id":854},"sections","Sections",[14,857,858],{},"Each township is divided into 36 sections, each roughly one square mile (640 acres). Sections are numbered in a serpentine pattern starting from the southeast corner:",[860,861,866],"pre",{"className":862,"code":864,"language":865},[863],"language-text","36  35  34  33  32  31\n25  26  27  28  29  30\n24  23  22  21  20  19\n13  14  15  16  17  18\n12  11  10   9   8   7\n 1   2   3   4   5   6\n","text",[29,867,864],{"__ignoreMap":355},[14,869,870],{},"Section 1 is the southeast corner; Section 36 is the northeast corner. This serpentine pattern means Section 7 is directly above Section 6, and Section 8 is to its left - a counterintuitive result for anyone expecting a simple left-to-right grid. Knowing this pattern is essential when checking whether two sections are adjacent.",[434,872,874],{"id":873},"quarter-sections","Quarter Sections",[14,876,877],{},"Each section is divided into four quarter sections of 160 acres each:",[293,879,880,885,891,897],{},[296,881,882,884],{},[36,883,462],{},": Northeast quarter",[296,886,887,890],{},[36,888,889],{},"NW",": Northwest quarter",[296,892,893,896],{},[36,894,895],{},"SE",": Southeast quarter",[296,898,899,902],{},[36,900,901],{},"SW",": Southwest quarter",[14,904,905],{},"The quarter section is the level most commonly used in agricultural titles and many surface lease agreements.",[459,907],{"highlighted-lsd":908,"highlighted-quarter":462,"highlighted-section":461},"6",[21,910,912],{"id":911},"format-and-examples","Format and Examples",[14,914,915],{},"A complete DLS description follows this structure:",[14,917,918],{},[36,919,920,924,925,928,929,932,933],{},[921,922,923],"span",{},"Quarter"," ",[921,926,927],{},"Section","-",[921,930,931],{},"Township","-[Range]",[921,934,935],{},"Meridian",[434,937,939],{"id":938},"example-1-quarter-section","Example 1: Quarter Section",[14,941,942],{},[36,943,832],{},[293,945,946,951,956,962],{},[296,947,948,950],{},[36,949,462],{},": Northeast quarter section",[296,952,953,955],{},[36,954,461],{},": Section 14",[296,957,958,961],{},[36,959,960],{},"032",": Township 32",[296,963,964,966],{},[36,965,843],{},": Range 21, West of the 4th Meridian",[14,968,969],{},"This describes the northeast 160 acres of Section 14, in a township about 200 kilometres north of the US border in central Alberta.",[434,971,973],{"id":972},"example-2-section-only","Example 2: Section Only",[14,975,976],{},[36,977,978],{},"SEC-22-048-07W5",[293,980,981,987,993],{},[296,982,983,986],{},[36,984,985],{},"SEC-22",": All of Section 22 (640 acres)",[296,988,989,992],{},[36,990,991],{},"048",": Township 48",[296,994,995,998],{},[36,996,997],{},"07W5",": Range 7, West of the 5th Meridian",[14,1000,1001],{},"This is near Drayton Valley, Alberta, in a productive oil region of the Deep Basin.",[434,1003,1005],{"id":1004},"example-3-saskatchewan-location","Example 3: Saskatchewan Location",[14,1007,1008],{},[36,1009,1010],{},"SW-09-017-14W2",[293,1012,1013,1017,1023,1029],{},[296,1014,1015,902],{},[36,1016,901],{},[296,1018,1019,1022],{},[36,1020,1021],{},"09",": Section 9",[296,1024,1025,1028],{},[36,1026,1027],{},"017",": Township 17",[296,1030,1031,1034],{},[36,1032,1033],{},"14W2",": Range 14, West of the 2nd Meridian",[14,1036,1037],{},"This is in southern Saskatchewan near Moose Jaw.",[21,1039,1041],{"id":1040},"which-provinces-use-the-dls","Which Provinces Use the DLS",[14,1043,1044],{},"The DLS system covers:",[14,1046,1047,1050],{},[36,1048,1049],{},"Alberta",": The entire province uses DLS, anchored on the 4th and 5th Meridians. The 4th Meridian forms the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. The 5th Meridian runs through central Alberta near Lacombe.",[14,1052,1053,1056],{},[36,1054,1055],{},"Saskatchewan",": The entire province uses DLS, anchored on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Meridians. Township numbers run from 1 at the US border to 100 near the 60th parallel.",[14,1058,1059,1062],{},[36,1060,1061],{},"Manitoba",": The southern and central agricultural zone uses DLS, anchored on the 1st Meridian. The Manitoba-Saskatchewan border corresponds roughly to Range 29W1. Northern Manitoba used a different grid; River Lots along the Red and Assiniboine rivers predate the DLS and follow an older French seigneurial pattern.",[14,1064,1065,1068],{},[36,1066,1067],{},"British Columbia (Peace River)",": The northeast corner of BC - the Peace River country - is covered by the DLS grid using the 6th Meridian. Communities like Fort St. John and Dawson Creek use DLS addressing. The rest of BC uses the National Topographic System (NTS).",[21,1070,1072],{"id":1071},"common-mistakes-and-gotchas","Common Mistakes and Gotchas",[434,1074,1076],{"id":1075},"meridian-confusion","Meridian Confusion",[14,1078,1079],{},"The most consequential error in a DLS description is a wrong meridian. The same township-range-section combination at W4 versus W5 produces two locations hundreds of kilometres apart. W4 is eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan; W5 is central Alberta; W6 is the BC Peace River block. Always confirm the meridian from the source document before converting.",[434,1081,1083],{"id":1082},"range-vs-township-transposition","Range vs. Township Transposition",[14,1085,1086,1087,1090,1091,1094],{},"In a description like ",[36,1088,1089],{},"14-032-21W4",", it is easy to read 032 as the range and 21 as the township - the reverse of the correct interpretation. The convention is consistent: ",[36,1092,1093],{},"Section-Township-Range-Meridian",". Township always precedes Range.",[434,1096,1098],{"id":1097},"leading-zeros","Leading Zeros",[14,1100,1101,1102,1104,1105,1108],{},"Township and Range numbers are often written with leading zeros in regulatory databases - ",[36,1103,991],{}," instead of ",[36,1106,1107],{},"48",". Township Canada handles both formats, but legacy data entry errors sometimes arise from inconsistent zero-padding.",[434,1110,1112],{"id":1111},"section-numbering-direction","Section Numbering Direction",[14,1114,1115],{},"The serpentine section numbering means Section 7 is above Section 6, not to its right. When working out which sections border a given section, draw or consult the standard section diagram rather than assuming a simple grid.",[434,1117,1119],{"id":1118},"township-vs-survey-unit-vs-municipality","Township vs. Survey Unit vs. Municipality",[14,1121,1122],{},"In Alberta and Saskatchewan, \"township\" can refer to the DLS survey unit (a 36-section grid square), the DLS coordinate in a description (Township 48), or a rural municipality (Rural Municipality of Wilton No. 472). These are different things. In DLS descriptions, \"township\" always means the survey unit or the number within the coordinate.",[21,1124,1126],{"id":1125},"how-township-canada-handles-dls-conversions","How Township Canada Handles DLS Conversions",[14,1128,1129],{},"Township Canada converts DLS descriptions to GPS coordinates by mapping each level of the hierarchy to a precise geographic location. The conversion process:",[517,1131,1132,1138,1144,1150,1156],{},[296,1133,1134,1137],{},[36,1135,1136],{},"Identifies the meridian baseline"," - the geographic starting point for the range and township count.",[296,1139,1140,1143],{},[36,1141,1142],{},"Calculates the township latitude"," - each township is approximately 9.65 kilometres (6 miles) north of the previous, with corrections applied at correction lines.",[296,1145,1146,1149],{},[36,1147,1148],{},"Calculates the range longitude"," - each range is approximately 9.65 kilometres wide at the baseline, narrowing slightly at higher latitudes.",[296,1151,1152,1155],{},[36,1153,1154],{},"Locates the section"," - using the standard serpentine numbering to place Section 1 at the southeast corner of the township.",[296,1157,1158,1161],{},[36,1159,1160],{},"Locates the quarter or LSD"," - subdividing the section to the appropriate corner.",[14,1163,1164],{},"The result is the geographic centre of the described parcel, along with boundary coordinates for the full parcel footprint.",[14,1166,1167,1168,1171,1172,1175,1176,97],{},"For a step-by-step walkthrough of converting a specific DLS description, see ",[299,1169,1170],{"href":588},"DLS to GPS Converter",". For LSDs (the next subdivision below the quarter section), see ",[299,1173,1174],{"href":308},"Understanding Legal Subdivisions",". For oil and gas workflows that depend on DLS, see ",[299,1177,395],{"href":301},[21,1179,1181],{"id":1180},"try-a-real-dls-conversion","Try a Real DLS Conversion",[14,1183,670,1184,673,1186,1188],{},[36,1185,832],{},[299,1187,676],{"href":536}," to see the system in action. The result shows the GPS coordinates for the northeast quarter of Section 14, Township 32, Range 21 W4 - a parcel in the agricultural heartland of central Alberta. The map view displays the parcel boundary on the survey grid alongside neighbouring sections and quarters.",[14,1190,1191,1192,1194,1195,1199],{},"For batch conversions of multiple DLS descriptions, the ",[299,1193,552],{"href":551}," handles hundreds of locations at once and exports to CSV or KML. For converting GPS coordinates back to a DLS description, use the ",[299,1196,1198],{"href":1197},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Fgps-to-legal-land-description","GPS to Legal Land Description"," tool.",{"title":355,"searchDepth":356,"depth":356,"links":1201},[1202,1203,1212,1217,1218,1225,1226],{"id":747,"depth":356,"text":748},{"id":760,"depth":356,"text":761,"children":1204},[1205,1206,1207,1208,1209,1210,1211],{"id":767,"depth":700,"text":768},{"id":815,"depth":700,"text":816},{"id":822,"depth":700,"text":823},{"id":836,"depth":700,"text":837},{"id":847,"depth":700,"text":848},{"id":854,"depth":700,"text":855},{"id":873,"depth":700,"text":874},{"id":911,"depth":356,"text":912,"children":1213},[1214,1215,1216],{"id":938,"depth":700,"text":939},{"id":972,"depth":700,"text":973},{"id":1004,"depth":700,"text":1005},{"id":1040,"depth":356,"text":1041},{"id":1071,"depth":356,"text":1072,"children":1219},[1220,1221,1222,1223,1224],{"id":1075,"depth":700,"text":1076},{"id":1082,"depth":700,"text":1083},{"id":1097,"depth":700,"text":1098},{"id":1111,"depth":700,"text":1112},{"id":1118,"depth":700,"text":1119},{"id":1125,"depth":356,"text":1126},{"id":1180,"depth":356,"text":1181},{"label":1228,"href":536},"Convert a DLS Description","How the DLS grid divides Western Canada into townships, ranges, sections, and quarter sections. History, format, examples, and conversion guide.",[1231,1232,1233,1234,1235],"dominion land survey","DLS system explained","township range meridian","western canada survey grid","DLS to GPS",{},[725,1238,301,588],"\u002Flearn\u002Fprovinces\u002Fsaskatchewan","systems",{"title":733,"description":1229},"learn\u002Fsystems\u002Fdls",[388],"5IcI8SJgOU_XoKeABl4Pz6UM9abKD1zZ1DcQcsggX5Y",{"id":1245,"title":1246,"body":1247,"category":366,"createdAt":366,"cta":1731,"description":1733,"extension":370,"icon":366,"industry":366,"keywords":1734,"meta":1740,"navigation":380,"path":308,"province":366,"relatedPages":1741,"section":1239,"seo":1742,"stem":1743,"systems":1744,"updatedAt":366,"__hash__":1745},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Fsystems\u002Flsd.md","Understanding Legal Subdivisions (LSDs)",{"type":7,"value":1248,"toc":1709},[1249,1252,1255,1261,1264,1268,1271,1274,1309,1312,1316,1319,1322,1328,1354,1357,1361,1365,1368,1413,1416,1420,1423,1435,1438,1442,1446,1467,1470,1474,1479,1498,1501,1505,1510,1536,1539,1543,1546,1551,1556,1561,1567,1570,1574,1577,1591,1593,1597,1600,1604,1607,1611,1620,1624,1627,1631,1636,1640,1643,1675,1678,1692,1696,1703],[10,1250,1246],{"id":1251},"understanding-legal-subdivisions-lsds",[14,1253,1254],{},"The Dominion Land Survey divides western Canada into townships, sections, and quarter sections - but for oil and gas well licensing, pipeline routing, and precise land tenure, even a 160-acre quarter section is often too large. Legal Subdivisions, commonly abbreviated as LSDs, solve that problem by splitting each section into 16 numbered parcels of approximately 40 acres each.",[14,1256,1257,1258,1260],{},"An LSD reference like ",[36,1259,110],{}," uniquely identifies a single 40-acre parcel anywhere in the DLS grid. If you work in oil and gas land administration, regulatory compliance, field operations, or agricultural land management, LSDs are the unit of location you will use most often.",[14,1262,1263],{},"This page explains how LSDs are numbered, how to read an LSD description, which industries depend on them, and how to convert LSD references to GPS coordinates.",[21,1265,1267],{"id":1266},"what-is-a-legal-subdivision","What Is a Legal Subdivision?",[14,1269,1270],{},"A Legal Subdivision is one of 16 equal parcels within a single DLS section. Each section covers approximately 640 acres (one square mile). Dividing by 16 gives parcels of approximately 40 acres each - small enough for well site licensing, large enough for surface lease management.",[14,1272,1273],{},"LSDs sit one level below quarter sections in the DLS hierarchy:",[293,1275,1276,1281,1286,1292,1297,1303],{},[296,1277,1278,1280],{},[36,1279,935],{}," (W4, W5, W6...)",[296,1282,1283,1285],{},[36,1284,931],{}," (1–100+)",[296,1287,1288,1291],{},[36,1289,1290],{},"Range"," (1–34 depending on meridian)",[296,1293,1294,1296],{},[36,1295,927],{}," (1–36, numbered in serpentine pattern)",[296,1298,1299,1302],{},[36,1300,1301],{},"Quarter Section"," (NE, NW, SE, SW - 160 acres each)",[296,1304,1305,1308],{},[36,1306,1307],{},"Legal Subdivision"," (1–16 - approximately 40 acres each)",[14,1310,1311],{},"Each quarter section contains exactly four LSDs. Knowing which LSD falls in which quarter is important when cross-referencing LSD records with surface lease or title records that use quarter-section notation.",[21,1313,1315],{"id":1314},"the-lsd-numbering-pattern","The LSD Numbering Pattern",[14,1317,1318],{},"LSD numbers run from 1 to 16 within each section. The numbering starts at the southeast corner of the section and works across each row in a serpentine pattern, reversing direction on alternating rows - the same general logic as section numbering within a township, applied at the smaller scale.",[14,1320,1321],{},"The standard LSD layout within a section, drawn with north at the top and east to the right:",[860,1323,1326],{"className":1324,"code":1325,"language":865},[863],"13  14  15  16\n12  11  10   9\n 5   6   7   8\n 4   3   2   1\n",[29,1327,1325],{"__ignoreMap":355},[293,1329,1330,1336,1342,1348],{},[296,1331,1332,1335],{},[36,1333,1334],{},"Row 1 (south edge)",": 1 (SE corner), 2, 3, 4 (SW corner) - east to west",[296,1337,1338,1341],{},[36,1339,1340],{},"Row 2",": 5, 6, 7, 8 - west to east (5 on the west edge, 8 on the east edge)",[296,1343,1344,1347],{},[36,1345,1346],{},"Row 3",": 9, 10, 11, 12 - east to west (9 on the east edge, 12 on the west edge)",[296,1349,1350,1353],{},[36,1351,1352],{},"Row 4 (north edge)",": 13 (NW corner), 14, 15, 16 (NE corner) - west to east",[14,1355,1356],{},"The numbering snakes from the southeast corner: LSD 1 starts at the SE corner, runs west across the bottom row to LSD 4, steps north to LSD 5, then reverses direction on each successive row. This is why LSD 5 sits directly above LSD 4, not above LSD 1.",[459,1358],{"highlighted-lsd":1359,"highlighted-quarter":901,"highlighted-section":1360},"7","32",[434,1362,1364],{"id":1363},"lsds-and-quarter-sections","LSDs and Quarter Sections",[14,1366,1367],{},"The 16 LSDs in a section map directly onto the four quarter sections:",[127,1369,1370,1379],{},[130,1371,1372],{},[133,1373,1374,1376],{},[136,1375,923],{},[136,1377,1378],{},"LSDs",[149,1380,1381,1389,1397,1405],{},[133,1382,1383,1386],{},[154,1384,1385],{},"SE quarter",[154,1387,1388],{},"1, 2, 7, 8",[133,1390,1391,1394],{},[154,1392,1393],{},"SW quarter",[154,1395,1396],{},"3, 4, 5, 6",[133,1398,1399,1402],{},[154,1400,1401],{},"NE quarter",[154,1403,1404],{},"9, 10, 15, 16",[133,1406,1407,1410],{},[154,1408,1409],{},"NW quarter",[154,1411,1412],{},"11, 12, 13, 14",[14,1414,1415],{},"A surface lease described as the SE quarter of Section 22 covers the same ground as LSDs 1, 2, 7, and 8 of Section 22. This relationship is used constantly in oil and gas administration, where well licences use LSDs and surface leases often use quarter-section notation.",[21,1417,1419],{"id":1418},"lsd-format","LSD Format",[14,1421,1422],{},"A standard LSD description follows this structure:",[14,1424,1425],{},[36,1426,1427,928,1429,928,1431,932,1433],{},[921,1428,389],{},[921,1430,927],{},[921,1432,931],{},[921,1434,935],{},[14,1436,1437],{},"All components are numeric except the meridian designator (W4, W5, W6, W1, W2, W3).",[434,1439,1441],{"id":1440},"example-1-alberta-oil-well-site","Example 1: Alberta Oil Well Site",[14,1443,1444],{},[36,1445,110],{},[293,1447,1448,1454,1459,1463],{},[296,1449,1450,1453],{},[36,1451,1452],{},"06",": LSD 6",[296,1455,1456,1458],{},[36,1457,1360],{},": Section 32",[296,1460,1461,992],{},[36,1462,991],{},[296,1464,1465,998],{},[36,1466,997],{},[14,1468,1469],{},"LSD 6 falls in the SW quarter of Section 32. This is in the Drayton Valley area of central Alberta - a highly active oil and gas region in the Pembina field.",[434,1471,1473],{"id":1472},"example-2-saskatchewan-agricultural-land","Example 2: Saskatchewan Agricultural Land",[14,1475,1476],{},[36,1477,1478],{},"14-09-017-14W2",[293,1480,1481,1486,1490,1494],{},[296,1482,1483,1485],{},[36,1484,461],{},": LSD 14",[296,1487,1488,1022],{},[36,1489,1021],{},[296,1491,1492,1028],{},[36,1493,1027],{},[296,1495,1496,1034],{},[36,1497,1033],{},[14,1499,1500],{},"LSD 14 is in the NW quarter of Section 9. This is in southern Saskatchewan, near Moose Jaw.",[434,1502,1504],{"id":1503},"example-3-bc-peace-river-region","Example 3: BC Peace River Region",[14,1506,1507],{},[36,1508,1509],{},"02-15-078-15W6",[293,1511,1512,1518,1524,1530],{},[296,1513,1514,1517],{},[36,1515,1516],{},"02",": LSD 2",[296,1519,1520,1523],{},[36,1521,1522],{},"15",": Section 15",[296,1525,1526,1529],{},[36,1527,1528],{},"078",": Township 78",[296,1531,1532,1535],{},[36,1533,1534],{},"15W6",": Range 15, West of the 6th Meridian",[14,1537,1538],{},"LSD 2 is in the SE quarter of Section 15. This is in the Montney formation play area in northeastern BC, one of Canada's most active unconventional gas regions. The BC Oil and Gas Commission uses LSD references for well licences in the Peace River DLS block.",[21,1540,1542],{"id":1541},"which-provinces-use-lsd-references","Which Provinces Use LSD References",[14,1544,1545],{},"LSD references are used wherever the DLS grid applies:",[14,1547,1548,1550],{},[36,1549,1049],{},": The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) uses LSD notation for all well licences, pipeline licences, and facility licences. The AER's well database (Petrinex, SPUD) stores every well with its LSD surface location.",[14,1552,1553,1555],{},[36,1554,1055],{},": The Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources uses LSD references for Crown mineral dispositions, well licences, and pipeline approvals.",[14,1557,1558,1560],{},[36,1559,1061],{},": LSD references appear in Manitoba Energy and Mines records for oil and gas wells in the Williston Basin, which extends into southwest Manitoba.",[14,1562,1563,1566],{},[36,1564,1565],{},"BC Peace River Block",": The BC Oil and Gas Commission uses LSD references for the Peace River DLS area. Wells in the Montney, Duvernay, and other plays in this region are licensed by LSD.",[14,1568,1569],{},"Outside these regions - including most of BC outside the Peace River block and all of Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces - the LSD system does not apply. Ontario uses lots and concessions; BC outside the Peace River area uses the NTS system.",[21,1571,1573],{"id":1572},"well-site-identification","Well Site Identification",[14,1575,1576],{},"In oil and gas, the LSD is the most precise level of DLS location that appears in regulatory filings. A well licence identifies the surface location as an LSD, giving the field crew, the landman, and the regulator a common reference that locates the well to within 40 acres.",[14,1578,1579,1580,1583,1584,1586,1587,97],{},"The Unique Well Identifier (UWI) encodes the LSD directly in the well name. In the UWI ",[29,1581,1582],{},"100\u002F06-32-048-07W5\u002F00",", the segment ",[29,1585,110],{}," is the LSD description - identical to the format above. Understanding LSD notation means being able to read the location directly from any UWI. For a full explanation of UWI structure, see ",[299,1588,1590],{"href":1589},"\u002Flearn\u002Fsystems\u002Fuwi","Unique Well Identifiers (UWI) in Canada",[21,1592,1072],{"id":1071},[434,1594,1596],{"id":1595},"numbering-direction-confusion","Numbering Direction Confusion",[14,1598,1599],{},"The most common LSD error is misremembering which direction the numbering runs. LSD 1 is the southeast corner of the section - not the northwest, not the southwest. The serpentine pattern starts from the southeast and works across each row, alternating direction. When in doubt, use the lookup grid rather than counting from memory.",[434,1601,1603],{"id":1602},"lsd-vs-quarter-section-mismatch","LSD vs. Quarter Section Mismatch",[14,1605,1606],{},"Records that mix LSD and quarter-section notation can create confusion. LSD 6 is in the SW quarter; LSD 7 is in the SE quarter. A surface lease described as \"the SE ¼\" covers LSDs 1, 2, 7, and 8. If a well licence shows LSD 9 but the surface lease covers the SW quarter (LSDs 3, 4, 5, and 6), the well site is not on the leased land - a serious land administration error.",[434,1608,1610],{"id":1609},"leading-zeros-in-section-and-township","Leading Zeros in Section and Township",[14,1612,1613,1614,1616,1617,1619],{},"Section numbers below 10 and township numbers below 100 are sometimes written with leading zeros in regulatory databases: Section 9 becomes ",[29,1615,1021],{},", Township 17 becomes ",[29,1618,1027],{},". Township Canada accepts both padded and unpadded formats.",[434,1621,1623],{"id":1622},"wrong-section-for-the-lsd","Wrong Section for the LSD",[14,1625,1626],{},"LSDs 1–16 exist in every section. Entering LSD 6 in Section 33 instead of Section 32 produces a valid-looking result that is one square mile from the correct location. Always verify the section number independently from the LSD number.",[434,1628,1630],{"id":1629},"confusing-the-lsd-with-the-section","Confusing the LSD with the Section",[14,1632,1086,1633,1635],{},[29,1634,110],{},", the first number (06) is the LSD and the second (32) is the section. In some legacy documents, the format is presented differently or the two are separated by a comma rather than a hyphen, leading to transposition errors. The LSD is always the smallest number in the first position; section numbers range from 1–36.",[21,1637,1639],{"id":1638},"how-township-canada-converts-lsds-to-gps","How Township Canada Converts LSDs to GPS",[14,1641,1642],{},"Township Canada converts an LSD reference to GPS coordinates using the full DLS hierarchy:",[517,1644,1645,1651,1657,1663,1669],{},[296,1646,1647,1650],{},[36,1648,1649],{},"Resolves the meridian"," to a baseline longitude.",[296,1652,1653,1656],{},[36,1654,1655],{},"Calculates the township position"," north of the baseline, applying corrections at correction lines.",[296,1658,1659,1662],{},[36,1660,1661],{},"Calculates the range position"," west of the meridian, adjusting for latitude-dependent convergence.",[296,1664,1665,1668],{},[36,1666,1667],{},"Places the section"," using the serpentine 1–36 numbering within the township.",[296,1670,1671,1674],{},[36,1672,1673],{},"Places the LSD"," using the 4×4 grid within the section, returning the geographic centre of the 40-acre parcel.",[14,1676,1677],{},"The result is a latitude\u002Flongitude coordinate pair for the centre of the LSD, along with the parcel boundary corners. Township Canada also shows the quarter-section context - which quarter the LSD falls in - useful for cross-referencing with surface lease records.",[14,1679,1680,1681,1685,1686,1689,1690,97],{},"For a step-by-step conversion guide, see ",[299,1682,1684],{"href":1683},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Flsd-to-lat-long","LSD to Lat\u002FLong",". For background on the full DLS grid structure that LSDs sit within, see ",[299,1687,1688],{"href":383},"The Dominion Land Survey System Explained",". For oil and gas applications of LSD references, see ",[299,1691,395],{"href":301},[21,1693,1695],{"id":1694},"try-a-real-lsd-conversion","Try a Real LSD Conversion",[14,1697,670,1698,673,1700,1702],{},[36,1699,110],{},[299,1701,676],{"href":536}," to see the parcel placed on the survey grid with GPS coordinates. The result shows the centre point of LSD 6, its boundary, its quarter-section context (SW quarter of Section 32), and surrounding LSDs.",[14,1704,1705,1706,1708],{},"For bulk LSD lookups - common in well database management, pipeline route planning, and land administration audits - the ",[299,1707,552],{"href":551}," accepts a list of LSD descriptions and returns GPS coordinates for all of them at once.",{"title":355,"searchDepth":356,"depth":356,"links":1710},[1711,1712,1715,1720,1721,1722,1729,1730],{"id":1266,"depth":356,"text":1267},{"id":1314,"depth":356,"text":1315,"children":1713},[1714],{"id":1363,"depth":700,"text":1364},{"id":1418,"depth":356,"text":1419,"children":1716},[1717,1718,1719],{"id":1440,"depth":700,"text":1441},{"id":1472,"depth":700,"text":1473},{"id":1503,"depth":700,"text":1504},{"id":1541,"depth":356,"text":1542},{"id":1572,"depth":356,"text":1573},{"id":1071,"depth":356,"text":1072,"children":1723},[1724,1725,1726,1727,1728],{"id":1595,"depth":700,"text":1596},{"id":1602,"depth":700,"text":1603},{"id":1609,"depth":700,"text":1610},{"id":1622,"depth":700,"text":1623},{"id":1629,"depth":700,"text":1630},{"id":1638,"depth":356,"text":1639},{"id":1694,"depth":356,"text":1695},{"label":1732,"href":536},"Convert an LSD to Coordinates","How LSDs subdivide a DLS section into 16 numbered parcels. LSD numbering, format, examples, and how to convert LSDs to GPS coordinates.",[1735,1736,1737,1738,1739],"legal subdivision","LSD explained","LSD numbering","LSD to GPS","LSD format canada",{},[383,725,301,1683],{"title":1246,"description":1733},"learn\u002Fsystems\u002Flsd",[389],"I71ZFBq5aq5M1pH8Byp5cpH1oo6OlGQCrW0oQp3cenQ"]