Elephant

Once a basket case and white elephant abandoned by its private-sector sponsors, the massive Great Plains Synfuels Plant in North Dakota delivered $39.2 million in profits to the federal Department of Energy (DOE) Monday under a revenue-sharing agreement dating to 1988 when DOE bailed out the then money-losing venture. Now operated by Dakota Gasification Co. (DGC), a for-profit unit of a major Bismarck, ND, cooperative utility, the plant has returned nearly $1 billion to the U.S. Treasury in the form of revenues and unused tax credits.

While most agree the easy supply growth is over in Canada, the country’s top natural gas producer is showing it still pays to venture into the difficult parts of the western provinces.

While all most agree the easy supply growth is over, Canada’s top natural gas producer is showing it still pays to venture into the difficult parts of the western provinces.

Mammoth equipment again will be used to track down the proverbial elephant-sized natural gas discoveries believed to be located in the shallow waters of the Beaufort Sea. Devon Canada has told the National Energy Board that it is leaning toward resurrecting one of the biggest exploration systems devised by the late Dome Petroleum Ltd. and its offshore hunting arm, Canadian Marine Drilling Ltd.

Mammoth equipment again will be used to track down the proverbial elephant-sized natural gas discoveries believed to be located in the shallow waters of the Beaufort Sea. Devon Canada has told the National Energy Board that it is leaning toward resurrecting one of the biggest exploration systems devised by the late Dome Petroleum Ltd. and its offshore hunting arm, Canadian Marine Drilling Ltd.