Windsor Energy is planning to conduct seismic testing over a large swath of land in southern New Brunswick from Sussex to Quispamsis that could lead to future natural gas exploration.

Khalid Amin, president and chief executive officer of the Calgary-based junior resource company, said seismic work will run through this summer.

If the results look positive, Amin said, natural gas drilling could start as early as next year.

"We believe that toward the south there is the potential for shale [gas] or for hydrocarbon within that area," Amin said.

"We still have a portion of the basin that is unexplored to the south and that's what we have rights to."

The company has purchased exploration rights to 58,000 hectares of land to the west of Sussex with a portion extending all the way to the Nauwigewauk, Darlings Island area.

Amin said seismic tests will be conducted right to the southern limits of the region.

Windsor Energy is testing near the McCully Field where Halifax-based Corridor Resources Inc. is already producing natural gas.

The company will soon begin approaching landowners for permission to access their properties to conduct the seismic testing.

Amin said the testing may not be very intrusive to the landowners.

"It could be just a crew walking through trying to keep the line ... straight. It could be a shot hole, meaning a place where you put the charge and you drill a small hole into the ground, could be cutting a fairway if it's treed," Amin said.

Homeowner contacted

One of the test areas is a property next to Sheena Mosher's Southfield home.

Mosher said she spoke with company representatives this week to discuss the seismic testing.

"One of the seismic lines is going to go down beside our property. I was told that if it's not on our property I would not be contacted for any permission or possible problems," Mosher said.

This is the latest oil and gas exploration project to hit southern New Brunswick.

Apache Corp., a Texas company, is drilling for natural gas in the region.

Corridor Resources announced in May that a formerly abandoned well could have more natural gas than is available in all of western Canada's proven reserves.

If sufficient gas is found Apache Corp. and Corridor Resources could team up on drilling as many as 480 new wells.