As of 8 January 2018 MGM Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Paramount Resources, and 50/50 partner Shell Canada was officially awarded on 19 September 2016 Significant Discovery License SDL 152 in the Mackenzie Plain Basin just west of the Norman Wells oil field. MGM and Shell Canada will each hold a 50% working interest in the new license. The award was back dated for administrative purposes following the relinquishment of EL 475. (see related article) The 502.78 sq km SDL was carved out of the Paramount (formerly MGM) operated exploration license EL 475 and is located 10 km west of of the Norman Wells oil field. Following the issuance of SDL 152 EL 475 was relinquished in its entirety. The SDL was likely awarded based on geological evidence that the shale pay from the Dodo Canyon shale oil discovery drilled by ConocoPhillips located to the southeast extends over the SDL. Significant Discovery License in the northern territories do not carry work commitments and are issued with no expiration due to the remoteness of the area and the lack of infrastructure to bring product to market. These terms were put in place when exploration activity was just getting underway following the discovery of Prudhoe Bay Field in Alaska to encourage exploration in the remote territories of northern Canada. Several provinces in eastern Canada have revised the SDL terms to include a rental scheme which begins at issue but it remains to be seen if that will occur in the northern provinces. Â 
Paramount Resources, and 50/50 partner Shell was awarded Licenses SDL 151 & 152, located in the Northwest Territories.