Overview

Designed to equip you with the fundamentals of petroleum land administration, this program provides a specialized education in the management of land contracts, agreements and related documentation required by the energy industry.

You will gain in-depth knowledge of leases, transfers, joint venture agreements and other vital land-related correspondences.

In this program, you will:

  • master the interpretation and management of various land contracts and agreements
  • develop an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks surrounding land administration
  • develop the skills to administer land agreements that govern freehold, Crown and Aboriginal lands
  • gain the knowledge to work effectively within land departments of energy companies, government bodies and land consultancy firms.

Prepare for various roles in land administration, with potential positions including petroleum land administrator, land clerk or land officer. 

The petroleum industry is always seeking skilled personnel to handle complex land administration tasks, and our program sets you up for success in this field.

If you are looking for a role that combines the petroleum industry's legal, technical and administrative aspects, this program is for you. 

To work in petroleum land administration, you need:

  • written and verbal communication skills
  • analytical, time-management and problem-solving skills
  • organizational skills and attention to detail
  • patience
  • ability to work with little supervision
  • computer skills.

You should enjoy following clear rules, keeping organized, and dealing with legal matters. 

After successfully completing this program, you'll receive a SAIT Petroleum Land Administration certificate.

Download program info

Careers and opportunities

Each year, SAIT conducts a survey between February and April to determine the employment rate, salary and satisfaction of our newest SAIT alumni. 

people icon 100% graduate employment rate

Find out more about our graduate employment statistics >

Our graduates may work in the following occupations. Some careers require additional experience and education.

Associated National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes: 12102, 10029, 14301, 41401.

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Career counselling and support

Unsure which career path is for you? SAIT offers career planning services to help you decide your future.

You can also get started by taking our online career finder quiz, which can help you narrow down your search based on your current skills and interests.

Finally, you can also head to Alberta alis for various tools and resources, including additional quizzes and labour market information to help you narrow down a career path.

Courses

The Petroleum Land Administration certificate requires 15 credits (six courses) to complete.

You'll have up to five years from the start of your first course to complete all required courses.

Course Credits

As the first course of the Petroleum Land Administration Certificate Program at SAIT, this course introduces the student to a basic understanding of key concepts in land administration including: Federal and Provincial land history and ownership; the role of land administration; land survey systems, Table of Formations; Crown Mineral Tenure (AB, SK & BC); Freehold Mineral Tenure; and Surface rights in Alberta.

1.5

This course introduces the student to a basic understanding of documentation associated with freehold leases, Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan Crown leases including special topics such as unitization, rentals, caveats, transfers, assignments and continuations.

Pre-requisites:
  • LAND 210
3

This course covers the various joint venture agreements created and administered by the Land Department. Some of the Agreements covered include Joint Operating Agreements, Farmin/Farmout Agreements, Option Agreements, Pooling Agreements, Royalty Agreements, Notice of Assignment and so on. Also covered are various industry procedures such as CAPL Operating Procedure, Farmout and Royalty Procedure and Assignment Procedure. Exercises and Assignments relate to contract review and interpretation.

Pre-requisites:
  • LAND 212
3

An excellent review of land administration for anyone in the field, this course is also a valuable tool to assist those new to land administration in applying their knowledge to current, industry relevant examples. Various methods discussed and completed to update records for continuation, various obligations, changes in working interests, royalties, producing lands, and unitization. Incorporates an introduction to a land system software.

Pre-requisites:
  • LAND 212
  • LAND 213
3

Introduces the structure of a typical Surface Land Department; land titles and Crown land record systems; survey systems; Directive 56 and its implications; third-party agreements, surface leases and right-of-way agreements; functions of the Surface Rights Board; components of surface land administration associated with acquisitions and divestitures and asset management.

Pre-requisites:
  • LAND 210
3

This course is an excellent overview of the oil and gas industry including upstream, downstream and midstream in Alberta, Canada and around the globe. Lectures cover the history of the petroleum industry including major petroleum regions, global oil production, capacity for growth, Canadian exploration, regulation & compliance and petroleum land administration; transportation and pipelines.

1.5

Progression

You must attain a PGPA and/or a CGPA of 2.0 or better each semester and pass the prerequisite courses to progress through the program.

To qualify for graduation, you must pass all courses, attain a CGPA of 2.0 or better and complete course requirements within the prescribed timelines.

Review our grading and progression procedure > 

Admission requirements

Applicants educated in Canada

Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency.

There are no further admission requirements for this program.

All applicants who were educated outside of Canada must demonstrate English language proficiency and provide proof they meet the program admission requirements with an international document assessment. Find accepted educational documents and assessment options

SAIT may also accept courses completed at certain international post-secondary institutions.

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Academic Upgrading

Missing an admission requirement for this program? Upgrade your prior education to help you receive admission into one of SAIT's career programs.

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English language proficiency

All applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency prior to admission, including students educated in Canada.

Transfer agreements

At SAIT, we evaluate post-secondary credit you have previously earned and apply it to your SAIT credential. Explore our formal transfer agreements available for this program.

We can evaluate your prior education, even if we don't have a formal agreement in place.

Submit a transfer credit application

There are no formal transfer agreements currently in place for this program.

Transfer options for graduates

Build on the knowledge you’ve learned at SAIT. The opportunity to advance your education at an accredited post-secondary institution may be available.

🔗 Visit Transfer Alberta search tool for all transfer agreements in Alberta (including UCalgary, MRU and BVC).

If there are transfer agreements with other institutions outside of Alberta, nationally or internationally, they will be listed below.

Available intakes

Fall 2025

Start dates:

Domestic students: Open
  • Application deadline: June 30, 2025

Costs

2024/25 tuition and fees

The following estimated costs are effective as of July 1, 2024.

Domestic students

The estimated total cost of tuition and fees for domestic students is based on the recommended course load per year.
Year Number of semesters Tuition fees Additional fees Total per year
1 1 $6,615 $464 $7,079
Total cost:
$7,079

This is a bring-your-own-device program with a standard computer hardware and software requirement. See the specific requirements on our computers and laptops page.

No textbooks are required.

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Financial aid

Paying for your education may feel overwhelming, but we have resources and programs that can help, including information about payment options, student loans, grants and scholarships.

Canada Alberta Job Grant icon

This program is eligible for Canada Alberta Job Grant funding.

Application process

Ready to apply?

Follow our step-by-step guide to submitting a successful application.

Learn how to apply

Communication during admission

Email is the primary source of communication during the selection process. Ensure your personal email account is managed appropriately to receive our emails, files and communications. We recommend you add the macphail.students@sait.ca domain to your safe senders' list or you risk missing critical email messages.

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Begin your application

Apply now using the online application portal. 

Ensure you have a valid Visa or Mastercard to pay the non-refundable application fee of $120 for domestic applicants.

Information sessions

Prepare for a strong start in your chosen program or get the details you need to decide your future path.

Our expert staff and faculty are ready to answer your questions and provide information about the following:

  • What sets SAIT apart
  • An introduction to the program and area of study
  • Admission requirements
  • Future career paths
  • Information on the earning potential and graduate employment rates.

Contact us

MacPhail School of Energy

Phone
403.284.8451
Email
macphail.students@sait.ca
a view of the moutains and stream in between

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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.

We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.