BOE Report

Nexen pipeline spill in northern Alberta under clean-up order from regulator

EDMONTON - The clean-up of a pipeline spill south of Fort McMurray is underway, but the cause of the contamination has yet to be confirmed.Vacuum trucks were on site Saturday and fencing went up to keep wildlife away near Nexen Energy's Long Lake oilsands facility, said Kim Blanchette, a spokesperson for the Alberta Energy Regulator.However Blanchette could not say what caused the breach in the double-walled pipe that spilled five million litres of oil emulsion into the area around the [Read more]

Against the Wall: Notley spat with Saskatchewan premier exposes friction on oil

EDMONTON - Brad Wall says the time for soft-selling the oil and gas industry in the rest of the country is over.The Saskatchewan premier took rookie Premier Rachel Notley to task this week for suggesting Quebec would approve of the Energy East oil pipeline if Alberta could show it has its environmental house in order.Wall suggested that was akin to giving Quebec a veto over an important national energy project. He then took shots at Central and Eastern Canada for soaking up transfer payments [Read more]

Tale of the tape: A look at the energy industries of Saskatchewan and Alberta

Alberta and Saskatchewan have often stood side by side on the topic of energy. But lately the two petro-powered provinces have found themselves increasingly drifting apart on a number of issues including royalties and pipelines. Here is a look at the oil and gas industries of both provinces:Alberta:— 77.4 per cent of Canada's oil production.— 5,478 oil and gas wells completed last year. Completed wells are those ready for production.— Alberta had conventional production of 590,000 barrels of [Read more]

Nexen Energy apologizes for pipeline leak near Fort McMurray, Alta.

CALGARY - Nexen Energy apologized Friday for a major leak in an Alberta pipeline that was only installed last year and said a warning system didn't detect it.Ron Bailey, the company's senior vice-president of Canadian operations, said it is investigating what caused the pipeline to rupture and why the system failed."We are deeply concerned with this and we sincerely apologize for the impact that this has caused," Bailey told a news conference."We will take every step that we see as reasonable [Read more]

Energy to take centre stage at meeting of provincial and territorial leaders

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Several of Canada's premiers say they're hopeful a Canadian Energy Strategy can be reached Friday despite regional differences on vocal display at their yearly meeting.Paul Davis, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, said the provincial and territorial leaders made strides Thursday but need more time."I'm very optimistic about the discussions we've had today," he told reporters after the first full day of the Council of the Federation gathering in St. John's, N.L.Agreement on [Read more]

Wall says he is concerned the energy industry is seen as a liability in Canada

REGINA - Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall launched a vigorous defence of the energy industry Wednesday, saying he is growing concerned that oil and gas development is increasingly being viewed as a liability by the rest of the country.Wall said he would be raising his concern Thursday at a meeting of premiers in Newfoundland, where a national energy strategy is expected to be discussed."We need to be more sustainable in development, but increasingly the dialogue in the country seems to be heading [Read more]

Canada needs LNG export options to avoid decline in natural gas production: CAPP

CALGARY - Canada's natural gas production will decline by about 10 per cent from current levels unless new export routes to Asia are opened, says a report released Wednesday by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.The oil and gas industry group says Canada needs options for exporting liquefied natural gas by ship if the country is to avoid a decline in production over the coming years.Greg Stringham, the association's vice-president of markets and oilsands, said Canada needs to find [Read more]

New Brunswick premier optimistic national energy strategy will be reached

FREDERICTON - The premier of New Brunswick says he's optimistic an agreement on a national energy strategy will be reached this week when the country's premiers and territorial leaders meet in Newfoundland and Labrador.Brian Gallant said such a strategy would be a catalyst for projects like the proposed Energy East pipeline because it would set the guidelines for projects impacting various parts of the country.The issue has long been under discussion, and while Gallant won't get into specifics [Read more]

Finance minister says B.C.’s law blueprint for largest private investment deal

VICTORIA - Premier Christy Clark heralded her government's blueprint for British Columbia's first liquefied natural gas plant Monday as a moment destined to be etched in history as she attacked the Opposition New Democrats for opposing her plans."It really will be a historic debate, one that people will look back on for decades," she said after the government introduced LNG legislation that NDP Leader John Horgan said he will not support."They are inventing numbers out of the blue," said Clark, [Read more]

Liberals, NDP to debate proposed B.C. LNG deal during summer legislative session

VICTORIA - British Columbia's politicians are returning to the legislature to debate the details of an agreement that could pave the way for the largest private investment in the province's history — a proposed $36-billion liquefied natural gas export plant.The Pacific NorthWest LNG project planned for Lelu Island near Prince Rupert still requires federal environmental approval, and Malaysian energy giant Petronas has yet to make its final investment decision.But ratifying the project [Read more]