The Government of Canada (Western Diversification) and the Government of Saskatchewan (Enterprise Saskatchewan) jointly announced $900,000 in funding for two PTRC research programs through the Western Economic Partnership Agreement.  The research – focusing on reducing the use and impacts of water on the oil industry and an additional program to examine naturally occurring nutrient sources in the province that might be helpful in developing microbial enhanced oil recovery – will help improve the environmental impacts of oil production.  Water treatment costs the oil industry almost five million dollars a day in Saskatchewan alone, and improving the quality of produced water will not just lessen those costs, but potentially offer new markets for improved water.