Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has powered the biggest increase since the 1970s in Alberta oil production from flowing wells outside the northern bitumen sands belt, according to the provincial Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB). Output from flowing wells jumped by 14% in 2012 to 559,000 b/d, and should average 593,000 b/d this year, according to the board’s annual report.
1970S
Articles from 1970S
Alberta Fracking New Life Into Oil Production
Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has powered the biggest increase since the 1970s in Alberta oil production from flowing wells outside the northern bitumen sands belt, says the provincial Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB).
Raymond James Estimates 3Q Gas Output Down 5.4% — Adjusted for Hurricanes
Despite a 30% increase in domestic natural gas drilling over the past two years, the decline in U.S. gas output continues, and much like the 1970s, when oil output continued to fall, gas production may be nearing “if not at” a similar crossroads, according to analysts at Raymond James. Adjusting for the hurricanes, the analysts estimated 3Q2005 domestic gas output fell 5.4% from 3Q2004 and 6% sequentially from 2Q2005. Those predictions far exceed predictions of other industry experts.
Mackenzie Project Sponsors Win Key Ruling
Canada’s arctic gas production and pipeline consortium won a battle last week to stay on schedule by limiting environmental reviews of the C$5-billion (US$3.7-billion) pipeline project. Authorities in Ottawa and the Northwest Territories turned down demands by conservationists to include an analysis of broad environmental effects of the project’s development.
Canada Not Likely to be Next Mideast for U.S.
U.S. dependence on Canadian gas has quadrupled since the 1970sand is expected to grow even further over the next decade, butthere’s no danger the country will be to the domestic gas marketwhat the Middle East has come to mean to the U.S. crude oil market,a Canadian pipeline executive said.