Combined natural gas and liquids byproduct output will increase by 16% this year from the prolific Montney geological formation straddling Alberta and British Columbia, according to Wood Mackenzie.

Wood Mackenzie calculated that Montney gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) combined will grow to 10 Bcfe/d in 2019, driven by increases of 26%in liquids and 14% in gas.

The blended total has potential to double to 20 Bcfe/d by 2030, researchers said.

The prediction echoes industry expectations that drive current activity such as a C$1.3 billion ($975 million) NGL pipeline project underway by Keyera Corp. and SemCAMS Midstream ULC.

The National Energy Board, after canvasing producers and earth-sciences agencies, has forecast Montney gas output alone will exceed 12 Bcf/d by 2040. Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing propelled swift growth from zero before 2007.

Canadian estimates rate the 130,000 square-kilometer (50,190 square-mile) Montney formation’s marketable production potential as an astronomical 449 Tcf of gas, 14.5 billion bbl of liquid byproducts and 1.1 billion bbl of oil.