CALGARY - A shortage of rig workers could delay progress when it comes to cleaning up Alberta's tens of thousands of inactive oil and gas wells. The Canadian Association of Energy Contractors says drilling and service companies are struggling to find enough workers as oil and gas companies ramp up production in response to surging commodity prices. Many of the same companies that provide rigs for new drilling programs are also involved in industry cleanup efforts. The Alberta government [Read more]

OTTAWA - Canada is nearly doubling its target to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector as it prepares to sign a new global pledge at next month's climate talks in Scotland. The United States and Europe are pushing a Global Methane Pledge asking other governments to commit to cutting total methane emissions 30 per cent by 2030. But the International Energy Agency said last month that hitting global climate targets means methane from the oil and gas industry alone must be cut 75 [Read more]

Get ready to pay sharply higher bills for heating this winter, along with seemingly everything else. With prices surging worldwide for heating oil, natural gas and other fuels, the U.S. government said Wednesday it expects households to see their heating bills jump as much as 54% compared to last winter. The sharpest increases are likely for homes that use propane, which account for only 5% of U.S. households, but others are also likely to see big increases. Homes that use natural gas, [Read more]

CALGARY - Canadian energy contractors are facing a shortage of rig workers that could slow oilpatch recovery. Oil and gas companies are ramping up production to meet global energy demand as COVID-19 restrictions ease. Oil prices are at seven-year highs, with West Texas Intermediate trading this week at more than US$80 per barrel. The Canadian Association of Energy Contractors says there were 175 active drilling rigs in Canada last week, compared to just 75 in the same period last year. It [Read more]

EDMONTON - Alberta's energy minister says the current spike in oil prices isn't enough reason to require the industry to spend more on cleaning up the tens of thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells in the province. Sonya Savage says the province's recently adopted plan to fix the problem, which requires industry to spend $422 million next year and slightly more after that, is a fair and balanced approach. She says it takes into account the industry's current troubles and its expected [Read more]

CALGARY - Canadians are being hit with all-time record gasoline prices heading into the Thanksgiving long weekend. Federal government data shows the average national retail price for regular gasoline in Canada hit $1.45 per litre this week. Fuel price consultancy firm Kalibrate, which has data all the way back to 2007, says these prices are record highs. Some markets have seen double-digit week-over-week price increases. Drivers in the Manitoba cities of Brandon and Winnipeg saw the [Read more]

Oil prices jumped Monday after OPEC and allied oil-producing countries stayed with their gradual approach to restoring output slashed during the pandemic, agreeing to add only 400,000 barrels per day in November. The decision Monday by the Vienna-based oil cartel tracks with its established schedule of adding back that amount of oil every month until deep cuts made in 2020 to support prices during the depth of the pandemic recession are restored next year. The situation has changed since [Read more]