British

The addition of the prolific Ladyfern discovery in northeast British Columbia, which began flowing one month ago, has sent Alberta Energy Co. Ltd.’s natural gas production soaring, producing more than 150 MMcf/d, the company said Friday. AEC’s current gas production with Ladyfern now equals 1.5 Bcf/d, the highest for any Canadian producer, and 40% higher than the company’s average for all of 2000.

In an effort to help meet the growing demands for natural gas in British Columbia and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, BC Gas Utility Ltd. said it is actively pursuing a plan to build the Inland Pacific Connector, an expansion of the company’s Southern Crossing Pipeline. Southern Crossing began service in late November 2000 (see Daily GPI, Dec. 5, 2000).

Canada’s National Energy Board has beaten off a challenge to “light-handed” pipeline regulation, rejecting an attempt by the British Columbia Ministry of Energy to assert provincial control and revive traditional cost-of-service regulation over even a minor branch of Westcoast Energy’s B.C. gas grid.

In an effort to help meet the growing demands for natural gas in British Columbia and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, BC Gas Utility Ltd. said it is actively pursuing a plan to build the Inland Pacific Connector, an expansion of the company’s Southern Crossing Pipeline. Southern Crossing began service in late November 2000 (see NGI, Dec. 11, 2000).

Having bought out 75% of a leaseholding near their 100 MMcf/dLadyfern gas find in northeast British Columbia, joint venturesubsidiaries of Murphy Oil and Apache Corp. are going after theother 25%, accusing the remaining leaseholder, Predator Corp., andothers of misappropriating and misusing confidential data about thediscovery well.

Having bought out 75% of a leaseholding near their 100 MMcf/dLadyfern gas find in northeast British Columbia, joint venturesubsidiaries of Murphy Oil and Apache Corp. are going after theother 25%, accusing the remaining leaseholder, Predator Corp., andothers of misappropriating and misusing confidential data about thediscovery well.

A natural gas well in northeastern British Columbia is producingas much as 100 MMcf/d, which would make it one of the top 10onshore discoveries in Canadian history, Murphy Oil Corp. reportedyesterday. The El Dorado, AR-based producer boosted its interest inthe play to 63% last November after acquiring Calgary’s Beau CanadaExploration Ltd. Houston-based partner Apache Corp. holds a 37%interest.

British-based energy and home services company Centrica plccompleted its acquisition of coveted Energy America LLC this week,announcing it will take full ownership and management control ofthe gas and electricity marketer that serves nearly 400,000 U.S.residential and small business customers. Centrica, which claimedits first stake last summer, picked up the outstanding 73.5% stakeheld by Sempra Energy for $56 million in cash.

The C$4.6 billion Alliance natural gas and liquids pipeline,designed to transport 1.325 Bcf/d from northeast British Columbiato Chicago, has completed its construction phase and now iscommissioning the main line, laterals, compressors and supervisoryequipment.