From oil sands to coal ports to liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines, Wyoming’s energy ties to Canada are strong and should get stronger, Gov. Matt Mead said Friday, previewing a week long (June 12-19) trip north of the border to expand trade relations that now account for $2 billion annually.

Mead and several business leaders from his state are embarking on a trip the governor characterized as “developing new and expanded market opportunities” for Wyoming’s economy, which is the nation’s most heavily dependent on the export of natural resources. Mead said he is seeking new opportunities in both products and services.

With heavy emphasis on western Canada’s energy rich British Columbia (BC) and Alberta provinces, Mead said the trip will include a tour of a BC coal exporting port, including learning more about the province’s export strategies and its “opportunities, challenges and limitations” for Wyoming coal.

The trip will also take Mead and his group to Alberta’s oil sands. The Wyoming governor plans to meet with provincial leaders in both Alberta and BC.

Also on the agenda are meetings with Canadian coal and rail representatives, a visit to a company that builds LNG engines, a tour of the largest hydrocarbon processing center in Canada, meetings with Canadian companies doing business in Wyoming, and visits to various oil sands facilities in Alberta.

Mead’s spokesperson said the LNG engine maker is Westport Technologies Inc. in Vancouver, and that the oil export port is also in that BC city. In addition to visiting in-situ and surface mining operations, the trip will include a visit to TransCanada Corp.’s Heartland oil pipeline and storage project now under development in Alberta.

“Canada is Wyoming’s largest foreign trade partner, and there are even more opportunities to develop,” said Mead. “There are Canadian companies that are important to our economy, and some Wyoming companies have already established themselves in Canada.”

©Copyright 2013Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.