The Canadian government has rubber-stamped three wildcatting campaigns offshore Newfoundland & Labrador, providing a much-needed boost to the province's ailing upstream sector.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Ottawa's Minister of Environment & Climate Change, said that exploration programmes planned by BHP Petroleum, Chevron and Equinor can now move ahead after their environmental impact assessment were approved.

The exploration work will be carried out in acreage located between 350 and 375 kilometres offshore St John's, with the government saying that "the projects will create secure jobs and benefit the economy, while supporting sustainable development and protecting the environment."