Painted

Reporting record profits for all of last year and record fourth quarter production, Apache Corp. senior executives last Thursday painted a bullish outlook for this year that includes moving ahead with its newly acquired Kitimat liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in western Canada and stepping up production of the Permian Basin assets it acquired from BP plc.

A panel of industry executives with a focus on Western Canada painted a near-term future for British Columbia (BC) that could see the province greatly expand its gas production from 3 Bcf/d to 5 Bcf/d based on growing potential for new supplies from shale. That raises the possibility some of the gas could be exported as liquefied natural gas (LNG).

A panel of Alaskan and Canadian politicians painted a colorful picture in Houston last week of why pipeline construction to the Lower 48 from Alaska has never been more urgent — or more confusing. Unanimous in their belief that the North Slope could deliver needed gas supplies, they still could not agree on where or how many pipelines should be built.

A panel of Alaskan and Canadian politicians painted a colorful picture in Houston Tuesday of why pipeline construction to the Lower 48 from Alaska has never been more urgent — or more confusing. They are unanimous in their belief that the North Slope could deliver needed gas supplies, they still could not agree on where or how many pipelines should be built. Producers said they have just started studying pipeline routes and would rather not be pushed into one project rather than another.

A major independent producer group has painted a rosy outlookfor short- and long-term growth of domestic gas demand and supply.U.S. gas demand is expected to rise by one percent to 22.23 Tcf in1998, eclipsing the previous consumption peak achieved in 1972, andlikely will hit 23 Tcf in 2000, according to forecasts issued atthe Independent Petroleum Association of America’s (IPAA) Oil andGas Investment Symposium in New York Tuesday.