Our newsletter: 28 September 2023
B.C. natural gas: Montney leads the way
The Montney natural-gas play in B.C. and Alberta continues to dominate drilling activity, production, and growth in gas reserves.
This from the B.C. Energy Regulator, which notes that in the last five years, gas production in B.C. has increased 40.2%.
The regulator’s new report says B.C.’s estimated remaining raw gas reserves increased 18.3% in 2022, due to added Montney development wells. Of 374 wells drilled in 2022, all but one well were drilled in the Montney.
B.C. had 9,988 producing wells in 2022 — 9,196 gas wells and 792 oil wells. Of the 9,988 wells, 5,277 were producing from the Montney formation.
The report also notes that 2.687 megatonnes of carbon dioxide had been sequestered as of December 2022, and acid-gas disposal has diverted the atmospheric release of 8.822 megatonnes of sulphur dioxide.
- Our blog: https://ow.ly/Ic4z50POX1x
- The BCER report: https://ow.ly/u8O550PMvJW
Net-zero LNG requirement challenged
The Business Council of B.C. has raised concerns about a B.C. government move to require new LNG projects “to have a credible plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 in order to proceed through the environmental assessment process.”
The province says: “This new requirement will help ensure that proposed LNG facilities meet the Province’s condition that LNG development fits within B.C.’s legislated climate targets.”
Among other things, the business council argues: “The addition of a net zero plan as conceived will slow the environmental assessment process and conflict with earlier assurances the new EA regime would streamline, not complicate, review processes.”
Proposed LNG facilities in B.C. include the Haisla Nation’s Cedar LNG project and the Nisga’a Nation’s Ksi Lisims project.
The net-zero requirement is in the government’s Net-Zero New Industry Intentions Paper. That is part of its New Energy Action Framework, which followed its CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, which was issued in October 2021.
The business council has also ripped that Clean BC Roadmap, saying:
- “The aggressive timelines outlined in CleanBC should be judged in relation to the reality that doing so means the average household in British Columbia will experience an $11,000 reduction in income over a relatively short period of time.”
- “The topline result is that the government’s own modelling finds that CleanBC Roadmappolicies will result in B.C.’s economy being $28.1 billion smaller in 2030 than would be the case in the absence of its additional policies.”
The business council’s full report: https://ow.ly/7b2t50POXej
Indigenous clean-energy news
- Kwiḵwa̱sut’inux̱w Ha̱xwa’mis First Nation in BC completes solar project, with 525 solar panels and a battery bank: https://ow.ly/nAEX50POXjy
- Haida Nation solar project is completed at Masset airport: https://ow.ly/cl9y50PPrmv
- Chiniki and Goodstoney Nations in Alberta become majority owners of the largest solar installation in an urban centre in Western Canada: https://ow.ly/6aJT50POXlw
- Ottawa puts $175 million into 12 clean-energy projects in Alberta, that include First Nations partnerships and benefits: https://ow.ly/5SWT50POXhA
- Lheidli T’enneh First Nation is negotiating benefits agreement and opportunities from green hydrogen project planned at Prince George BC: https://ow.ly/tvUF50POXrz
- Seven First Nations get equity agreements in small modular nuclear reactor technology for New Brunswick: https://ow.ly/l3bf50PPlek and https://ow.ly/k2Ps50PPIiR
- Chief Terry Richardson, Pabineau (Oinpegitjoig) First Nation, on why NB Indigenous leaders support nuclear-energy development: https://ow.ly/nfsn50PQ81p
- Sawridge Nation signs agreement to sell power from its Buffalo Atlee 2 and 4 wind farms in Alberta: https://ow.ly/enYN50POXmG
- Indigenous-led Aki energy has installed more than 600 geothermal heat pumps in Manitoba First Nations communities: https://ow.ly/F7G650POXob
- North Caribou Lake First Nation in Ontario celebrates getting power from Wataynikaneyap transmission line: https://ow.ly/25PL50PO4QR
- Eight First Nations support partnership in two new transmission-line projects in Ontario: https://ow.ly/ZLqr50POXoV
- Second group of First Nations bids to build and operate northeastern Ontario power line: https://ow.ly/gIFR50PMSvh
- Ontario celebrates Indigenous leadership in clean-energy storage: https://ow.ly/2IB850PMSEB
- Sagkeeng youth taking clean-energy lead in Manitoba: https://ow.ly/mUhf50PLN6n
ALSO IN THE NEWS
- Will BC have enough power for proposed projects, from LNG plants to hydrogen facilities? https://ow.ly/hHoB50PNv3t
- Canadian resources support Indigenous communities — one of six reasons why the sector is critical for Canadian prosperity: https://ow.ly/GmU650PMtl8
- Canada Energy Regulator seeks a new commissioner. Indigenous applicants are among those who may be given preference. https://ow.ly/7SIU50PMiq5
- From TC Energy: Natural gas is vital in our journey towards a more sustainable future. Why natural gas matters: https://ow.ly/QhBt50PMLIR
- LNG Canada donates last $900,000 needed for new CT scanner for Kitimat Hospital: https://ow.ly/QNTR50PPb8Q
- Video: How First Nations and Métis are increasingly becoming owners of oil and gas projects: https://ow.ly/6a4s50POXwi
DATES
October
- Nation2Nation’s 7th annual forum, Terrace, Oct. 17-19: https://nation2nation.ca
November
- Metro Vancouver Zero Waste Conference, Vancouver, Nov. 1-2: https://ow.ly/aBBu50PILKN
- First Nations Energy Summit, Vancouver, Nov. 6-7: https://ow.ly/12P050PKQKK
2024
- The 21st annual BC Natural Resources Forum, Prince George, Jan. 16-18: https://ow.ly/YokA50PIsAW
- The First Nations Major Projects Coalition’s 7th annual conference, Toronto, April 22-23: https://ow.ly/4nw750PHYCf
- The 8th Indigenous Resource Opportunities Conference, Nanaimo: April 24 – 26. https://ow.ly/f1bl50PvYnx
- The International Gas Research Conference, Banff, May 13-16. Our Alliance CEO, Karen Ogen, is on the national organizing committee. https://igrc2024.org/
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(Posted here 02 October 2023)
