Sedimentary

Economics in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and the movement of increasingly more Rockies supplies east is being felt more in terms of wholesale price and supply pressures in the Pacific Northwest, according to Northwest Natural Gas Corp.’s CEO Mark Dodson. As a result, the need for siting a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the region is growing, he said.

With an expectation that the Western Sedimentary Basin of Canada will continue as a key focus for natural gas exploration and development, Calgary-based EnCana Corp. announced Thursday it will construct a 40 Bcf natural gas storage facility in southeastern Alberta. The Countess development, once completed, is expected to increase EnCana’s Western Canadian gas storage by almost 40%, totaling approximately 135 Bcf.

Apache Corp.’s $600 million acquisition this week of FletcherChallenge Energy Ltd.’s assets in the western sedimentary basin ofCanada increased its holdings there by 75%, adding explorationopportunities near existing operations and pumping up its provenreserve base in a mega buy that sent analysts’ forecasts skywardfor the Houston-based company.

The GRI’s latest report indicates producers won’t run out ofwork anytime soon in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB),which is estimated to have 166 Tcf in new pool potential and a 31.4Tcf reserve appreciation potential. Because of these positiveestimates, the GRI said the region could surpass 8 Tcf ofproduction by 2015.

The GRI’s latest report indicates producers won’t run out ofwork anytime soon in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB),which is estimated to have 166 Tcf in new pool potential and a 31.4Tcf reserve appreciation potential. Because of these positiveestimates, the GRI said the region could surpass 8 Tcf ofproduction by 2015.

Producer investment in Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB)natural gas is expected to grow from the $8 billion spent in 1998to just under $9 billion by 2001, which should add up to about a 6%hike or 3.1 Bcf/d in production and 3.4 Bcf/d in maximum peak daydeliverability over the 1998 to 2001 period, according to a surveyby the Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI). The report notes”the WCSB is moving into a period of tighter supply/demandbalances,” in which lower than estimated spending could result insupply shortfalls, while higher spending could create a surplus.The group’s “1999 Canadian Natural Gas Producer Survey &Deliverability Outlook” sees export capacity from the basinpossibly exceeding market demand in the short-term. “For year 2001CERI’s required production estimate equates to an 89% averageannual load factor on ex-basin capacity, notably lower than the95-100% factors experienced since the mid-1990s.”