Oil industry commentators see the region as a potentially rich source of future revenue.
Local native groups are concerned over the regions remoteness and extreme environmental sensitivity, and to the lack of any testing standards to scientifically measure whether the use of toxic chemicals in hydraulic fracking is causing irredeemable damage to groundwater overlaying the regions of fractured rock.
[3][4] The Northern Journal quoted some of the objections of Sahtu elder Madeline Karkagie: The first test fracturing was conducted in the region in 2012, without any prior environmental assessments being performed.
[4] On October 6, 2013, The Globe and Mail reported that Henry Sykes, the CEO of MGM Energy, complained that environmental concerns were causing financially troubling delays.
[5] Canada's National Energy Board gave ConocoPhillips permission to build fracking wells in the region on October 30, 2013.