Energy Minister Andrew Parsons is not ruling out a possible equity stake in Bay du Nord.

The province is in receipt of the Rothschild report which examines provincial government assets – including oil and gas holdings – but what it recommends, government is not saying.

Moya Greene suggested in the PERT report that government get out of the oil and gas business.

Minister Parsons says while these are early days, he’s not ruling out the possibility that the province might have an equity stake in the massive deep-water project.

Weighing his words carefully, Parsons indicated it will be part of conversations “going forward, fully cognizant of what Moya Greene has said.”

As for when the project will receive sanction and get underway, Parsons could not say, but says Equinor’s projected production date of 2028 is still achievable. In the meantime his department will be working on the benefits agreement.

“We’re not talking weeks here, we’re talking months” says Parsons.