Oilsands Quest's oil shale exploration permits cover 489,730 acres (198,187 hectares) in the Pasquia Hills area of east-central Saskatchewan. The permits provide for the right to explore, mine, quarry and work the permit lands, but not to produce or recover oil shales except for test purposes until a lease has been granted. The permits were granted in 2006 and 2007 and have five-year terms.

The key challenge to producing kerogen shale lies in finding an economic commercial process. The overall prospects for this project will continue to be examined.