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Archived Industry News: 2004Areas protected before pipeline runs through Mackenzie VelleyYELLOWKNIFE - The federal government has committed $9 million to creating a series of protected areas in the Mackenzie Valley. The Tuesday morning announcement comes three months after industry officials submitted a proposal for a multi-billion-dollar oil and natural gas pipeline that would skirt the Mackenzie River. The plan would allow communities along the pipeline route to set aside historically or environmentally-sensitive lands. The contribution by the federal government is the largest to date. The money will be spread over five years, and matched by contributions from environmental groups and the territorial government. Under the plan, development in those areas would be restricted for five years while officials conduct a detailed survey of mineral, oil and gas reserves. After the initial five-year period, community officials could decide to redraw the boundaries of the protected area, Carpenter said. Once the final borders are set, the land would fall under the jurisdiction of the federal and territorial parks systems and development would be permanently restricted. There are three areas in the NWT that have already entered the initial research stage -- a massive tract of land that stretches from just below Wrigley to Fort Providence and two peninsulas that reach into Great Bear Lake near Deline. Areas that are under consideration include the Slave River Delta, the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, the headwaters of the Nahanni River and a large swath of land around Wrigley. The protected areas strategy focuses on areas of natural and cultural
importance, as well as representative regions within eco-systems. December 19, 2004 Province invokes rarely used labor code section to open way to 'blanket' contract in oil sandsBy Gary Park (Petroleum News Calgary Correspondent) - The Alberta government has intervened to rein in galloping construction costs in the oil sands sector. For only the fourth time since changes to the Alberta labor relations code almost 30 years ago, the government has granted special status to a major industrial project. The designation will allow Canadian Natural Resources to negotiate an agreement with one union that would apply to all trades involved in the C$10.5 billion Horizon project. Human Resources Minister Mike Cardinal told reporters the cabinet order is justified because of the construction jobs and economic benefits Horizon will generate. The project, which has yet to receive final approval from the CNQ board, is expected to have a peak workforce of 6,500 in 2006 and 2007 and hire 2,500 full-time employees once the bitumen mine and upgrading facilities are operating. A spokeswoman for Cardinal said the blanket labor agreement is intended to last for the duration of the project, through 2012. Non-union labor will be usedCNQ said the designation will allow it to use non-union labor on the project, although it does not expect the provision will actually lower labor costs. Real Doucet, CNQ's senior vice president, oil sands, said the objective is to "bring stability and long-term forward planning to the process. "It also ensures we can forecast what happens. We are not interested in doing constant negotiations for each contract," he told the Calgary Herald. Doucet said that making sure "everybody works under the same kinds of conditions" will give CNQ access to all workers. CNQ has indicated it might seek federal permission to import foreign workers, flying them to a landing strip capable of handling Boeing 737s near the Horizon site. But Doucet denied rumors that foreign workers are already being recruited. Labor demand exceeds what area can provideMike Glennon, executive director of the Athabasca Regional Issues Working Group, said oil sands developers have little choice but to look far beyond Alberta for the skilled labor needed. "With so many massive projects under construction concurrently, the demand is going to far outstrip what this area can provide," he said. If the C$7 billion Mackenzie Gas Project moves forward that will add to pressures on the labor market and is likely to result in similar project designations. CNQ has already had a taste of the soaring costs that have bedeviled other oil sands ventures. Rising steel prices have seen original estimates climb by C$2.1 billion. An Alberta Federation of Labor spokesman said there would be no objection if
the master agreement was signed with a responsible union. That mood would change if the sole purpose was to sign "sweetheart deals
with contractors who agree never to strike and things like that," he said. Panel seeks more info on pipeline impactYELLOWKNIFE - A report describing the impact of the pipeline proposed for the Mackenzie Valley is thousands of pages long, but incomplete, according to the joint review panel. The panel detailed 21 pages of deficiencies in a letter to the Mackenzie Gas Project last week. The letter says there's not enough information for the panel to decide whether the project makes a positive contribution toward environmental and economic sustainability. The panel wants:
The panel doesn't give the Mackenzie Gas Project a deadline for submitting the information, but wants a schedule by the end of the month. The panel's conformity check has to be complete before the technical analysis of the environmental impact statement begins. Gas pipeline race is on as FERC scrambles to meet deadline for final rulesby Rose Ragsdale (Petroleum News) - The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, racing to complete preliminary work under Congress' October mandate to begin permitting for an Alaska natural gas pipeline, issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, including draft proposed regulations, on November 15. FERC's proposed rule requests public comment on standards for creating an open season process that provides non-discriminatory access to capacity on any Alaska Natural gas pipeline project while ensuring economic certainty to support the construction of the pipeline and provide a stimulus for exploration, development and production of Alaska natural gas. The commission's proposed rule also requires that a public notice of an open season be issued by the project sponsor at least 30 days prior to the commencement of the open season through methods including postings on Internet web sites, press releases, direct mail solicitations, and other advertising. Next, the proposed rule lists the information about a proposed project that any notice of open season for an Alaska natural gas transportation project must contain. The proposed rule states that an open season for an Alaska natural gas transportation project must remain open for a period of at least 90 days. Finally, the proposed rule requires that capacity allocated as a result of any open season shall be awarded without undue discrimination or preference of any kind. FERC said the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act also outlines a specific timeline for the commission's review and approval process for Alaska gas transportation proposals so that infrastructure may be in place to meet rapidly increasing energy demand. This timeline requires final commission action on any Alaska gas transportation proposal within 20 months after the commission determines that an application is complete. The commission will conduct a one-day technical conference to gather public comments Dec. 3 in Anchorage. The conference is scheduled to be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Municipality of Anchorage's Assembly Chambers, downstairs from the Z.J. Loussac Library, 3600 Denali Street. A complete copy of FERC's draft proposed regulations for the Alaska natural gas pipeline may be viewed at the commission's web site, http://www.ferc.gov/ under "What's New." New Alberta Oil Sands Report ReleasedDUBLIN - Research and Markets, the world's largest market research resource, has announced the addition of Oil Sands - Alberta 2005: Projects, Participants & Market Opportunities to their list of reports. This new study provides an objective evaluation of the Canadian Oil Sands industry through an examination of industry operations, economics, transportation and marketing opportunities, as well as a 'project-by-project' development update. In addition to containing the most up-to-date survey on daily bitumen production levels, this study provides:
Centre for Energy Launches New Oilsands and Heavy Oil OverviewThis brand new section of the Centre for Energy web portal hosts factual, up-to-date information and statistics about Canada's oilsands and heavy oil resources. The overview aims to provide accurate and balanced information reviewed by a variety of sources. Check out the overview at http://www.centreforenergy.com/silos/ong/ET-ONG.asp. Government must consult with First Nations, rules Supreme CourtOTTAWA - A B.C. mining company has won a major legal battle in its bid to re-open a mine near Atlin, with the Supreme Court of Canada ruling the provincial government had consulted adequately with local First Nations in approving the project. Redcorp wants to reopen the Tulsequah mine, and the Supreme Court has ruled the province adequately consulted on the project. In a landmark ruling, Canada's top court ruled Thursday that governments have a legal but limited duty to consult First Nations about the use of land, even where it involves unproven aboriginal claims. Two First Nations in northwestern British Columbia were involved in resource-use battles over land that they say they own. The question in both cases is whether resource development on Crown lands should proceed if aboriginal claims on those lands haven't been resolved. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled 7-0 Thursday that governments must seek native input and consider concerns about projects that could infringe claims. But that requirement does not extend to developers, said the court, and does not force governments to obtain the consent of affected bands. See the complete Supreme Court Tlingit ruling on their website. Arctic Climate impact Assessment Released by the Arctic CouncilOTTAWA - The Government of Canada announced the release of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), the most detailed assessment to date of changes in circumpolar climate and ultraviolet radiation and their consequences for Arctic people and ecosystems. Speaking on behalf of the Government of Canada, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment said the ACIA findings are of concern "because they provide conclusive evidence that the Arctic is experiencing some of the most rapid and extensive climate changes on Earth." The ACIA found that average temperatures in the Arctic have risen at almost twice the rate of that of the rest of the world over the past several decades, and projects much larger changes in the future, warning that the consequences of the expected changes will be serious, and felt far beyond the Arctic region. The ACIA report says the Arctic icecap has shrunk by 15-20 per cent in the past 30 years and the contraction is likely to accelerate. The Arctic Ocean could be almost ice-free in summer by the end of the century. Inuit hunters are falling through ice, permafrost is thawing and destabilizing foundations of buildings and vital winter roads, while the habitat of creatures from polar bears to seals is literally melting away. The report projects that temperatures in the Arctic will rise by four to seven degrees in the next 100 years. If temperatures then stayed stable, the Greenland icecap would melt altogether in 1,000 years and raise global sea levels by about seven metres. The statements come with unprecedented scientific evidence, supported by the work of 250 scientists over the past four years. While noting that the changing climate may give rise to new opportunities in the North, such as increased access to oil and gas minerals, increased farming opportunities and trans-Arctic shipping lanes, the ACIA found that economic and social impacts on Aboriginal communities in the circumpolar Arctic are expected to be serious. For example, the ACIA found the range and availability of species of polar bear, walrus, seals and caribou are already beginning to change and, together with shifting ice and weather conditions, pose major challenges to human health and food security for many communities. Canada's participation in the ACIA was led by Environment Canada, with support from a number of other Government of Canada departments, including Natural Resources Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Foreign Affairs Canada. The Government of Canada also provided $500,000 in financial support to the ACIA, as part of its ongoing commitment to research and other initiatives designed to understand and respond to the impacts of climate change in Canada. More than 40 Canadian scientists contributed to the Assessment, several of whom were among its lead authors. Canada’s participation also included some 30 individuals from Arctic Aboriginal communities whose expertise in traditional knowledge made an important contribution to the assessment of climate impacts. The ACIA is a project of the Arctic Council, a high-level, consensus-based intergovernmental forum founded in Ottawa in 1996. The Council provides a mechanism to address the common concerns and challenges faced by the Circumpolar states. Spanning four years, the ACIA involved hundreds of scientists from around the world. The complete ACIA Overview "Impacts of a Warming Arctic" is available for download in PDF format at http://www.acia.uaf.edu. Minister of Environment Recommends Adding New Species to the Species at Risk ActOTTAWA - The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment, today made recommendations on adding new species to the list of species protected under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Seventy-nine mammals, birds and aquatic species and populations have been under review for addition to the list of protected species under SARA, based on the scientific assessments provided by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). "Today we have recommended that 76 of these species be added to the Species at Risk Act, under which they will receive the Act's full protections," said Minister Dion. "In keeping with the spirit of openness and transparency of the Act, we carefully reviewed each species and consulted with the Canadian public to better understand the impacts of listing these species under SARA." The Minister’s proposals to amend the list of protected species will be published in Canada Gazette, Part 1, on Saturday, October 23, 2004. Canadians will have 30 days to provide their comments or concerns. A final decision on adding this set of species to SARA will be made by Cabinet in January 2005. "With these recommended additions, by early 2005, some 309 species will be protected under SARA and the subject of recovery plans," said Minister Dion. "This is not cause for celebration. The increasing number of species being added to the SARA list underscores the need for the government’s ongoing commitment to find workable solutions to protecting and conserving our biodiversity. It is my wish to eventually see species removed from the SARA list – that would be something worth celebrating." Minister Dion today also announced that the Government of Canada has posted, on the SARA Public Registry, its intention to review a new set of 51 species. The government will be making a decision, after consultation with the Canadian public, on whether these species will be listed under SARA. Related Backgrounders:
To view other relevant background documents please visit the Species at Risk web site at: speciesatrisk.gc.ca or the SARA Public Registry site at: sararegistry.gc.ca Yellowknife to host arctic forumYELLOWKNIFE - Top scientists and dignitaries from across the arctic will gather in Yellowknife next week for the third biennial Northern Research Forum. Included on the list of attendees is the Governor General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson and the President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. The Northern Research Forum is intended to "provide intensive dialogue among members of the research community and a wide range of other northern stakeholders," according to the NRF website. The meetings, which are open to the public, address issues of community viability, sustainable development, peace and security, social and environmental policy, and the impact of global change in circumpolar regions. Participants include a wide variety of researchers, policy makers and scientists from Canada, Russia, Iceland and other arctic countries. The theme for this year is "The Resilient North -- Human Responses to Global Change." Papers presented at the forum will include such topics as expanding circumpolar cooperation, diamonds in Siberia and polar bears as a resource. The Northern Research Forum runs from September 15 to 18 and many of the lectures and events are open to the public. The forum is jointly hosted by the GNWT, the City of Yellowknife, Aurora College and the community of Rae Edzo. The Yellowknife NRF is organized by the Northern Research Forum steering committee and secretariat, in partnership with the Canadian Polar Commission. Think-tank says Canada makes poor use of revenue generated from oil & gasAlaska has been lauded for ensuring that its citizens get their money's worth from their oil and natural gas riches, while jurisdictions in western and northern Canada have been lambasted for selling their resources too cheaply. The findings come in a study released Aug. 17 by the Pembina Institute for Appropriate Development, an Alberta-based think-tank titled When the Government is the Landlord. The authors also said the Canadian governments were "making poor use of the revenues they do generate, using them to fund current expenditures rather than making long-term investments." In a news release accompanying the report, the institute said "big machinery, shiny logos and business suits often overshadow the fact that provincial oil and gas reserves (in Canada) are public - not corporate - resources." It accused the Canadian jurisdictions of undercharging companies for the development of the resources, failing to set aside revenues for the future and allowing negative environmental impacts of industry activities to steadily rise. The governments are "not providing maximum compensation to the citizens of these regions for the development of oil and gas resources," said lead author Amy Taylor. New INAC minister promises to work co-operativelyYELLOWKNIFE - The new minister of Indian and Northern Affairs is promising a collaborative approach in his new portfolio. Andy Scott, a 12-year veteran of Parliament from New Brunswick, was appointed to the post by the prime minister in July. Scott says the problems facing First Nations, Metis and Inuit are well known... and so are the solutions. "The problem is getting from here to there," he says. "And my approach to that wouldn't be to unilaterally decide how it has to be done rather to engage the community and the various organizations that represent the community to find those solutions together." Scott will be coming North before Parliament resumes in October. Prior to becoming minister of Indian Affairs, he was the minister responsible for infrastructure and housing. New agreement to study Alberta wildlife corridorsImproving the survival of bears, wolves, cougars and other wild animals in the increasingly crowded Bow Valley is the goal of a new agreement between environmentalists and the area's biggest industry. "Many people might wonder what the world's largest building materials company and the world's largest conservation organization are doing together," said Monte Hummel, president of World Wildlife Fund-Canada. "The fact is, we need to work together if we're going to save life on Earth. Conservationists, governments and companies all need to take a stand to protect the last remaining populations of large carnivores in North America." WWF and Lafarge North America Inc. launched a "conservation partnership" Thursday that will see Lafarge boost its support for environmental enhancement projects around Canmore and Exshaw. "We want to ensure growth and economic development can happen sustainably," said Alan Kreisberg, president of Lafarge's western region. Although Lafarge's cement plant and quarries won't disappear, conservationists say they're encouraged the company wants to help restore animal habitat in what is considered a bottleneck for animal movement in the Rockies. "We can't turn back time, but we can learn and make improvements to what is already here," said Jim Pissot, executive director of Defenders of Wildlife Canada. "This is very exciting because it should help refine our knowledge and add more animal crossings further east in the Bow Valley." The Exshaw project will begin with Lafarge sponsoring a two-year, $50,000 study of animal movement in the area. It will be used to reduce deaths by placing "micro-tunnels" under the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 1A for wildlife. CAPP releases 2004 Canadian Crude Oil ForecastCALGARY - The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) is projecting significant potential growth in crude oil production by 2015 as released in its 2004 Canadian Crude Oil Production and Supply Forecast. Total Canadian production, including Atlantic Canada, is projected to increase from the current 2.6 million barrels per day to reach 3.6 million barrels per day (b/d) by 2015. The growth in production of one million b/d represents an increase of about 40 per cent over the annual average level of production recorded in 2003. This growing production will serve Canada's strong domestic market and our important export markets in the US and will help meet growing global oil demand. The primary source of Canada's growing crude oil supplies are Alberta's vast oil sands reserves. Oil sands production, which exceeded the one million b/d plateau late in 2003, is forecast to more than double by 2015 to almost 2.6 million b/d. With 175 billion barrels reserves, it is the second largest petroleum deposit in the world. In Western Canada, conventional oil production currently accounts for more than one of every two barrels of oil produced. The lifespan of Canada's conventional oil resources continues to be extended from earlier forecasts through advances in technology but there has been a gradual overall decline since the late 1990s. Looking forward, crude oil produced from oil sands will more than offset these declines in conventional production. This shift in the source of production means that by 2015 approximately three out of every four barrels of oil produced in Canada will come from oil sands. Investment spending related to oil sands development is projected to exceed C$30 billion over the next decade as new projects or expansions to existing oil sands operations are built. CAPP's forecast for strong oil production growth is premised on sustained investment in both the conventional and oil sands sectors. The forecast growth in production in Western Canada is expected to exceed the existing pipeline capacity, in the next few years, used to deliver crude oil supplies to various market areas. The additional supplies will require construction of new pipeline capacity to ensure western Canadian crude oil supplies can be transported to important markets in Canada, the US and offshore. Background information is available at www.capp.ca. High oil prices eliminate Alberta debtCALGARY - High oil prices aren't just benefiting OPEC members: The Canadian province of Alberta has declared itself debt-free based on oil and gas revenue. The province eliminated its $3 billion debt by using a big surplus in this year's budget from high oil and gas revenues, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said. In June, the province reported its 2003-04 budget surplus reached $4 billion. "Never again will this government or the people of this province have to set aside another tax dollar on debt," said Premier Ralph Klein in Calgary. "Those days are over and they're over for good, as far as my government is concerned, and if need be, we will put in place legislation to make sure that we never have a debt again." Politically, it was a feather for the Conservative Klein's cap, as a provincial election is scheduled to be called as early as the fall. Ten years ago, Alberta's debt stood at $23 billion. Now it is the only Canadian province to be debt-free. Canada to map Beaufort SeaLow-level tensions between Canada and the United States over sovereignty of an offshore sliver in the Beaufort Sea are moving from simmer to boil. Canada has turned up the heat in the 30-year squabble by deciding to spend C$51 million over 10 years to map the Arctic continental shelf and asset its sovereignty to the area under international law. In the 2004-05 budget released in March, Ottawa said the data collected from the radar mapping “will lead to a formal submission under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and help secure Canada’s sovereignty in the High Arctic.” With potentially rich oil and natural gas resources at stake, including 54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in both the U.S. and Canadian Beaufort, the dispute is building now that the U.S. Minerals Management Service has indicated it will offer development licenses to the area, including about 16,000 acres claimed by Canada. Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs has sent a diplomatic note to Washington saying Canada rejects the U.S. effort to asset jurisdiction over the area. Cross-border volley last year - That follows a cross-border volley last year, when Canada formally protested the planned leasing out of the territory, even though the Minerals Management Service has indicated it would refrain from opening or processing bids for the disputed lands. Herb Dhaliwal, Canada’s natural resources minister at the time, said he remained confident that the United States would do the right thing and avoid wrapping up details to lease out the disputed four parcels. “This is a disputed area. It’s a disputed boundary. There has never been any leases committed to this area and we expect the U.S. will be consistent with that and, because it’s a disputed area, there won’t be leases put on that,” he said. Within the Department of Foreign Affairs, officials are adamant that the United States cannot impose its sovereignty unilaterally, but say Canada will continue to file diplomatic objections to keep its claim alive. “It’s a little dance we end up doing,” one official told the Globe and Mail. Whooping cranes reproducing at whopping rateFORT SMITH, N.W.T. - In Wood Buffalo National Park, whooping crane nesting pairs are down - but biologists have counted a record number of chicks. The scientists completed their survey of the whooping crane nesting area this month. They found 54 nests, down from 61 last year. Brian Johns, a Canadian Wildlife Service biologist in charge of the whooping crane recovery effort, says the good news is the chicks. "From the 54 nests we had, we located 66 young, including 20 pairs with two young each." A final summer count of the endangered birds will take place in August. In 1964 there were only 42 of the large white birds in the world. Now there are 450, of which 192 are in the wild flock in Wood Buffalo. The rest are part of captive flocks in the United States. Regualtory application filing for Mackenzie pipeline set for AugustCALGARY (CP) - Full regulatory application for the much-anticipated Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline will be filed by August, Imperial Oil said Tuesday. Toronto-based Imperial Oil (TSX:IMO) is taking the lead role in the pipeline consortium, which also includes international energy giants ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell Canada (TSX:SHC). The energy companies are waiting on the final terms of reference for the environmental impact assessment, expected by mid-July, before officially filing for regulatory approval. Approval to build the 1,220-kilometre pipeline could take several years and involve many different government departments and agencies. "We hope to go through the regulatory process, and I can't speculate how long that'll take - whether that's two years or three years,'' said Williams. "It'll take about three winters to build it and then we'll be up and running.'' Company officials have said they would like to have gas flowing from the Mackenzie Delta by about 2010. The project, which would connect up to existing pipeline infrastructure in northern Alberta and take the gas to energy-thirsty U.S. markets, is one of several multi-billion-dollar plans to provide North America with natural gas as conventional supplies dry up. And like most of the large megaprojects being built in the northern Alberta oilsands, there is a significant chance that the cost of building the Mackenzie pipeline could rise. Imperial has said for a while that the project could cost up to $5-billion. On Tuesday, Williams said the pricetag probably won't be known until the full regulatory process is complete and further negotiations with stakeholders are held. While publicly traded on the Toronto stock market, Imperial is 70-per-cent owned by ExxonMobil Corp. Oil Sands spending could top C$6 billion this yearCALGARY (Petroleum News) - Oil sands spending could top C$6 billion this year, but that will pale alongside the C$93.5 billion the Alberta government is projecting for the next eight years. The province's Economic Development Department released a study in June that forecast the mind-boggling capex budget for new and expanded projects by 2012 - a figure that dwarfs the estimated C$28 billion invested in the sector so far. If the projections are accurate, the government said production could reach 1.8 million barrels per day of synthetic crude and 1.2 million bpd of bitumen - about triple the expected output this year. For this year, the Athabasca Regional Issues Working Group, an industry coalition, is counting on spending of C$6.1 billion, edging out last year's C$5.5 billion and falling only slightly short of the record C$6.6 billion in 2002. Currently, 61 projects are in the pipeline for the vast northeastern Alberta resource of 175 billion barrels. State releases study results considered critical to the future of oil production from Alaska's North SlopeConducted for the state by Petrotechnical Resources of Alaska, the North Slope of Alaska Facility Sharing Study was the first undertaking of its magnitude, producing a hefty manual that describes existing North Slope facilities and their processing potential. According to Petroleum News, the 60-page report, with as many pages of attachments, identifies the needs and desires of both facility owners and non-owner companies interested in producing oil on the North Slope and lays the groundwork for designing a template for facility access for non-owners which benefits all parties. Among the companies providing information and perspectives for the pilot project were facility owners BP Exploration (Alaska), ConocoPhillips Alaska, ExxonMobil, and independents Winstar, Armstrong, Pioneer Natural Resources, Talisman (Fortuna), AVCG, Kerr-McGee and Devon Canada. PRA's Tom Walsh said he was surprised at the amount of cooperation his firm received from North Slope facility owners, who initially expressed some concerns about the study. The end result, Walsh said, is, "We came up with a very factual and technical study that provides a platform for individual companies to undertake their own economic analysis." Two individuals from the division, Bill Van Dyke and William Nebesky, worked closely with PRA on the study. Nebesky, a commercial analyst, was also pleased with the results of the study and is in the process of putting the manual on the agency's web page (http://www.dog.dnr.state.ak.us/oil/) as a set of PDF files. He said the state will also produce CDs and printed versions. Recent National Energy Board reportThe primary purpose of the report is to provide an objective assessment of the current state of the oil sands industry and of the potential for growth. In addition, it identifies and discusses the major issues and challenges associated with further development and, in this regard, the report is intended to further the public dialogue. Canada's Oil Sands: Opportunities and Challenges to 2015 (May 2004) Draft Documents for CommentAlberta Environment has released for comment three DRAFT volumes (in Word format) that have been developed to replace the Reclamation Criteria for Wellsites and Associated Facilities - 1995 Update.
Comments on the present draft criteria will be accepted by submission to Alberta Environment by June 21, 2004. Please send comments by mail to: Land Management Program or by Fax to (780) 422-4192 If sending comments by e-mail, please use Track Changes feature in Word to provide comments. NEB Filing Manual ReleasedThe National Energy Board released a new Filing Manual on April 29, 2004, that provides guidance to companies preparing applications for review by the Board. This document replaces the Guidelines for Filing Requirements (GFR), developed in 1995. Companies are expected to immediately begin using the Filing Manual in place of the GFR. Industry, Aboriginal groups, government and non-government organizations were involved in the review and played a key role in the creation of the new Filing Manual. "Our goal was to clearly state the Board's expectations so that they could be understood and applied consistently by applicants," said Ken Vollman, Chairman. Over the next two months, the Board will be offering training to help
familiarize users with the Filing Manual. The NEB
News Release provides more details about training dates and locations
as well as links to the Filing Manual online. NEB Reports on its Estimates for Conventional Natural Gas Potential in CanadaOn April 15, 2004, the National Energy Board released an updated status report on Canada's natural gas resources entitled Canada's Conventional Natural Gas Resources: A Status Report. The report provides a new estimate for the Alberta portion of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin which is marginally larger than the latest estimate from the EUB in 1992. It also concluded that a larger portion of the undiscovered volumes of natural gas will be found in the shallower horizons than previously estimated. In addition, the report identifies the need for a new assessment of northeastern British Columbia as there have been large, new discoveries made and activity levels there have increased over the past few years. Read the NEB
News Release or view the full
report and appendices in
the Energy Reports section of their web site. Changes to the Criminal Code Encourage Improved Workplace SafetyOn March 31, 2004, amendments to the Criminal Code (criminal liability of organizations) come into force. The amendments impose a legal duty on employers and those who direct work to take reasonable measures to protect employee and public safety. If this duty is wantonly or recklessly disregarded and bodily harm or death results, an organization could be charged with criminal negligence. More information can be found on the Library of Parliament LEGISINFO
web site. Report Sets a Course for Future Oil Sands GrowthOn January 30, the Alberta Chamber of Resources released an 82-page study entitled Oil Sands Technology Roadmap: Unlocking the Potential which outlines the opportunities, challenges and future direction for Canadian oil sands development. The Chamber is a group of organizations dedicated to the orderly and responsible development of all of Alberta's natural resources since 1935. According to the report, the oil sands sector is "poised for a third wave of development" that could generate C$40 billion of economic growth in Canada, create tens
of thousands of new jobs and produce up to C$90 billion in new investment
over 30 years. The chamber's roadmap is designed to set a course for growth by identifying
issues and technology options to overcome hurdles. Regulatory Change and Innovation
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