Canadian oil and gas producers spent $ 35.6 bn last year

The Canadian oil and gas extraction industry spent $ 35.6-bn in 2008, up 12.5 % from 2007, according to Statistics Canada.
The economic downturn hit the oil-patch hard last year, but did not kick in until later in the year.

Despite budget cuts, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers expects spending in the non-conventional and unconventional petroleum sectors to reach $ 34-bn in 2009, Statistics Canada said.
In 2008, spending in the unconventional sector increased to $ 18.1-bn, up 0.3 %.

This marks the fourth consecutive year spending in the non-conventional sector has passed $ 10-bn, Statistics Canada said. Operating expenses for the conventional sector hit $ 32.4-bn in 2008, up 20.9 % from 2007, the number-crunchers said.
In the non-conventional sector, operating expenses reached $ 14.7-bn, up 44.6 % from 2007.