Boosters

Natural gas only has to make a small dent in the energy market shares of coal and oil to score major gains, say Canadian boosters of the cleanest fossil fuel — and they are picking up hammers with apparent government support at least in Ontario, where plans to phase out coal-fired power are speeding up.

Natural gas only has to make a small dent in the energy market shares of coal and oil to score major gains, say Canadian boosters of the cleanest fossil fuel — and they are picking up hammers with apparent government support at least in Ontario, where plans to phase out coal-fired power are speeding up.

Hope that natural gas will flow out of the Canadian Arctic was revived among boosters of the stalled northern pipeline project after four producers took out new exploration rights in the Beaufort Sea. Imperial Oil, ExxonMobil Canada, ConocoPhillips Canada and Chevron Canada scooped up 1,600 square miles (4,172 square kilometers)of drilling rights in a region offshore of the Mackenzie Delta long known to be rich in gas.

Hope that natural gas will flow out of the Canadian Arctic was revived among boosters of the stalled northern pipeline project after four producers took out new exploration rights in the Beaufort Sea (see Daily GPI, July 20).

Arctic natural gas boosters are braced for disappointments as prices, politics and regulatory complications overtake projects — especially in Canada.

Arctic natural gas boosters are braced for disappointments as prices, politics and regulatory complications overtake projects — especially in Canada.

LNG boosters were ultimately disheartened at the end of 2005 when the United States couldn’t seem to pull in all of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) it wanted. In fact, last year saw a decline in LNG imports from 2004. However, U.S. markets can look forward to more supply security in the coming years, according to Edinburgh, UK-based Wood Mackenzie.