Canada

Canada’s storm-prone center of fossil-fuel production readily accepts the theory that the climate is changing, but highly educated Albertans stop far short of accepting the full global warming gospel even when their anonymity is guaranteed. Only about one in three Alberta earth scientists and engineers believe the culprit behind climate change has been identified, a new poll of the professions reported.

Call it a sure sign of changing times in Canadian production. A spring construction start has been set for a project that will convert Canada’s 51-year-old original natural gas export mainline to oilsands service.

In a Jan. 28 story entitled “LNG Regasified in Canada Heads for U.S. Northeast by 2009” (see NGI, Jan. 28), NGI incorrectly stated that EnCana Corp.’s proposed Deep Panuke project offshore of Nova Scotia remained in the planning stages with no immediate decision to start construction on the horizon. In fact, Deep Panuke was sanctioned for development by EnCana’s board of directors in October 2007 (see NGI, Oct. 27, 2007) and is proceeding to construction, with first gas expected in 2010. NGI regrets the error.

Call it a sure sign of changing times in Canadian production. A spring construction start has been set for a project that will convert Canada’s 51-year-old original natural gas export mainline to oilsands service.

In a Jan. 28 story entitled “LNG Regasified in Canada Heads for U.S. Northeast by 2009” (see Daily GPI, Jan. 28), NGI incorrectly stated that EnCana Corp.’s proposed Deep Panuke project offshore of Nova Scotia remained in the planning stages with no immediate decision to start construction on the horizon. In fact, Deep Panuke was sanctioned for development by EnCana’s board of directors in October 2007 and is proceeding to construction, with first gas expected in 2010. NGI regrets the error.

To encourage shippers to run positive imbalances because of dwindling linepack during an especially severe cold snap in Western Canada, NOVA has reset its imbalance tolerance range to 0/+4.

Following a brutally cold and snowy Martin Luther King Day weekend for most of the U.S. and Canada, the forecast looked to be more of the same for the next couple of days before a moderate warm-up begins late this week. But despite the continuation of heavy heating load prices fell Tuesday at all points, including triple-digit plunges at Northeast citygates.

In spite of frigid weather remaining in place throughout much of the U.S. and Canada and prior-day screen support having returned the day before, prices were in retreat at most Gulf Coast, Midwest and Northeast points Tuesday. However, the Midcontinent and West continued to advance in nearly all cases, which was hardly surprising considering Wednesday lows are expected to range from the 20s and 30s to single digits in those regions.

Pioneer Natural Resources Co. has closed the sale of Canadian subsidiary Pioneer Natural Resources Canada Inc. to Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA) for $540 million cash, the Dallas-based company said.