British Columbia has been unanimously elected the seventh international affiliate member of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC), giving the Canadian province full access to information and resources of the Oklahoma City-based commission.

As a major coal-producing province, BC’s coal seam natural gas potential is estimated at 89 Tcf. In addition to its onshore gas reserves, the province is estimated to have as much as 42 Tcf of offshore gas potential.

“As I look to the future, I am firmly convinced that British Columbia will come to play an even greater role in North America’s energy future,” said Richard Neufeld, BC’s minister of energy and mines. “We are, in fact, already a major exporter of electricity and natural gas to the United States and, unlike some of the more remote energy plays in North America, British Columbia is well tied into the U.S. market through a series of existing transmission lines and pipelines.” Neufeld said he sees “great benefit to our province in building upon and expanding our relationship with IOGCC.”

British Columbia also is expected to become active in the North American Coastal Alliance, a group formed in 1998 by several IOGCC representatives to identify areas of concern to coastal states.

The IOGCC represents the governors of 30 member U.S. states and seven associate states and is engaged in promoting domestic oil and natural gas resources.

©Copyright 2003 Intelligence Press Inc. Allrights reserved. The preceding news report may not be republishedor redistributed, in whole or in part, in any form, without priorwritten consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.