British

A sustained increase of at least 50% — and possibly more — is on the horizon for exports of natural gas from British Columbia to the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, Westcoast Energy told Canada’s National Energy Board in support of an application for an initial 10%, C$270-million (US$170-million) expansion of its B.C. pipeline system’s capacity by 200 MMcf/d to 2.1 Bcf/d.

A potentially significant natural gas discovery in the foothills of British Columbia, which may hold more than 1 Tcf of reserves, was announced by Talisman Energy Canada on Thursday. The new play, said Talisman, would be the first commercial well to produce from the deeper, underexplored Paleozoic reservoirs in the Monkman area. Expected to be on production by September, the well tested at rates ranging from 15 MMcf/d to 37 MMcf/d, with a flowing tubing pressure of 2,364 pounds per square inch, directly into existing Monkman pipeline infrastructure. A delineation well now is planned for the fourth quarter, and more locations would be scheduled next year.

A potentially significant natural gas discovery in the foothills of British Columbia, which may hold more than 1 Tcf of reserves, was announced by Talisman Energy Canada on Thursday. The new play, said Talisman, would be the first commercial well to produce from the deeper, underexplored Paleozoic reservoirs in the Monkman area. Expected to be on production by September, the well tested at rates ranging from 15 MMcf/d to 37 MMcf/d, with a flowing tubing pressure of 2,364 pounds per square inch, directly into existing Monkman pipeline infrastructure. A delineation well now is planned for the fourth quarter, and more locations would be scheduled next year.

A potentially significant natural gas discovery in the foothills of British Columbia, which may hold more than 1 Tcf of reserves, was announced by Talisman Energy Canada on Thursday. The new play, said Talisman, would be the first commercial well to produce from the deeper, underexplored Paleozoic reservoirs in the Monkman area. Expected to be on production by September, the well tested at rates ranging from 15 MMcf/d to 37 MMcf/d, with a flowing tubing pressure of 2,364 pounds per square inch, directly into existing Monkman pipeline infrastructure. A delineation well now is planned for the fourth quarter, and more locations would be scheduled next year.

British gas company Centrica Plc has followed through on its previously announced deal to buy NewPower Holdings Inc., greatly expanding its presence in retail energy markets in North America. Centrica intends to buy all of NewPower’s outstanding shares for $1.05 per share in cash (subject to certain conditions), or a total of $130 million (see Daily GPI, Feb. 21). The acquisition is expected to include 650,000 U.S. residential and small business customers in states including Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.

British gas company Centrica Plc has followed through on its previously announced deal to buy NewPower Holdings Inc., greatly expanding its presence in retail energy markets in North America. Centrica intends to buy all of NewPower’s outstanding shares for $1.05 per share in cash (subject to certain conditions), or a total of $130 million (see Daily GPI, Feb. 21 ). The acquisition is expected to include 650,000 U.S. residential and small business customers in states including Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Centrica North America, a division of British-based Centrica plc, will double its retail customer base in Canada with the purchase of Calgary-based Enbridge Inc.’s retail energy marketing and business services division for C$1 billion. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, and completion is anticipated in the spring.

British Columbia’s natural gas pipeline grid is seeking to raise its tolls by up to 19% and is urging regulators and the rest of the industry to tackle a lingering Canadian headache with potential to increase costs further. Westcoast Energy Inc., soon to be subsidiary of Duke Energy under a takeover transaction scheduled to close shortly, has applied to the National Energy Board for the raise in the new year.

On-again, off-again wrangling with natives over land claims and resource development has erupted yet again in northeastern British Columbia, setting back one natural gas project but not noticeably slowing down the overall pace of producer expansion.