Stunt

An abrupt defeat has been dealt to an attempt to stunt Canada’s Arctic natural gas pipeline and production project before it has a chance to grow.

A two-year investigation has identified the prime suspect behind environmental horror stories that threaten to stunt the growth of infant coalbed methane production in Canada — and the culprit is not the industry. The report squashes a major source of public opposition to developing the province’s estimated 500 Tcf endowment of coalbed methane, in seams the right thickness and depth to be considered candidates for development.

A two-year investigation has identified the prime suspect behind environmental horror stories that threaten to stunt the growth of infant coalbed methane production in Canada — and the culprit is not the industry. The report squashes a major source of public opposition to developing the province’s estimated 500 Tcf endowment of coalbed methane, in seams the right thickness and depth to be considered candidates for development.

The Nova Scotia government has expressed fears that growth of Canada’s embryo East Coast gas industry will be stunted by any interference with exports. EnCana Corp. also has told the National Energy Board (NEB) that it needs unfettered access to markets in the northeastern United States in order to go ahead on its first addition to East Coast supplies beyond the Sable Offshore Energy Project (SOEP), the C$1.1 billion (US$733 million), 400 MMcf/d Deep Panuke proposal.