While the UCP held on to its rural and most of its Calgary seats, several ministers lost their ridings. The NDP will form the largest official Opposition in Alberta history.
An industry expert said a UCP government will be more likely to go to bat against Ottawa on any proposed emissions cap that threatens to curtail the industry's production.
More than 2.8 million Albertans registered to vote in this year's provincial election, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta, but only 1,772,314 ballots were cast.