Loss of Coast Guard cutters brings supertankers to the forefront: Courier-Islander

Courier-Islander

The imminent loss of the Coast Guard cutters Point Henry and Point Race is solidifying opposition to proposed super tanker traffic on the coast, says NDP MP Nathan Cullen and the Living Oceans Society.

 But Vancouver Island North MP John Duncan, who referred to the replacement boats as “less capable” in the past, continues to support replacement of the Point Race and Point Henry this week. 

 The 47-foot motor lifeboat CCGS Cape Palmerston is to be officially named and dedicated to service in Campbell River next Thursday, replacing the 70-foot Point Race. Ceremonies to replace Prince Rupert’s Point Henry with the CCGS Cape Dauphin are slated for July 26.

Enbridge to improve risk assessment on proposed Northern Gateway pipeline

Vancouver Sun 

Enbridge to improve risk assessment on proposed Northern Gateway pipeline 

 

Enbridge acknowledged Thursday it needs to improve its risk assessment of potential accidents along the route of a controversial proposed pipeline that would deliver crude oil to the west coast of British Columbia. 

A company spokesman made the comments in response to a new analysis to be submitted Friday to a government review panel that raises questions about potential impacts of the Northern Gateway project.

“There are major sources of uncertainty that are not adequately acknowledged and/or incorporated into the analysis,” said the review, prepared by Stella Swanson, a Calgarybased aquatic biologist.

The review analyzed the company’s public submissions to the government panel that is assessing the environmental impacts of the $5.5-billion Northern Gateway project.

B.C. first nation challenges oil and gas tenures sale: Globe and Mail

Globe and Mail


The sale of oil and gas tenures in northeast British Columbia by the provincial government for $260-million is being challenged in court by a native band.
The Dene Tha, a first nation that straddles the B.C.-Alberta-Northwest Territories boundaries, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of B.C. The band alleges that the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines failed to adequately consult with the first nation, or to undertake studies on the environmental impact of gas drilling, before selling the leases in the Cordova Basin, near Fort Nelson. Shale-gas deposits in the Cordova Basin are thought to be extensive.

Latest entrant in LNG scramble wants NEB, BC to consolidate approvals: Reports

LNG World News

Progress Energy wants consolidated process for LNG projects in Canada

Progress Energy Resources Corp, which signed a C$1.07 billion ($1.09 billion) shale gas alliance with Malaysia’s state oil company, is pushing for a consolidated regulatory process for pipelines and liquefied gas export plants, its chief said on Monday.

A big driver for Progress’s deal with Petronas is a plan to build an multibillion-dollar LNG plant on the West Coast to take all of the shale gas production from the partner’s lands in the North Montney region of British Columbia….

Progress Chief Executive Michael Culbert said federal and provincial authorities should consider combining regulatory proceedings for multiple plants and pipelines, with so many proposals now in the works.

The current pipeline capacity to British Columbia’s Kitimat region is about 100 million cubic feet a day, far below what will be required to support an export industry, he told reporters after a speech to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers investment symposium.

Canadian Press

LNG terminals planned for West Coast have enough gas to go around: executives

Northeastern British Columbia’s shale fields contain more than enough natural gas to feed a myriad of West Coast export terminals in the works, energy executives said at an industry conference Monday.

But some say collaboration may be necessary to ensure the gas makes its way across the Pacific in the most cost-effective way possible.

Penn West president Murray Nunns …said he sees the various LNG proposals joining forces at some point.

“The scale of the initial projects at a (billion cubic feet) or two probably isn’t suitable relative to the size of the resource in Western Canada,” he told reporters.

“I think in the end, it may only end up as one or two facilities but I think they’ll be substantially larger than what’s been considered.”

Canadian oil boom may bring many more tankers to Northwest waters: Seattle Times

Seattle Times

Canadian oil boom may bring many more tankers to Northwest waters

[F]ights over Canada’s oil sands could have an impact much closer to home. One company is hoping to boost oil-sands shipments to Asia through Northwest waters — plans that would quadruple tanker traffic through Vancouver, B.C., and dramatically increase the amount of oil traveling through the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Some of the tankers the company hopes to accommodate could carry four times more crude than the Exxon Valdez, the supertanker that spilled 11 million gallons of crude into Prince William Sound….

“That’s definitely a lot more crude carriers,” said Chip Booth, a manager with the Washington state Department of Ecology’s spills program. “It certainly represents a bit of a higher risk.”

But it’s far too soon to say how much more.

Liquid natural gas exports will need infrastructure push: DCN

Daily Commercial News and Construction Record

Liquid natural gas exports will need infrastructure push

A growing number of energy industry players are looking to connect plentiful supplies of natural gas on this side of the Pacific with ravenous demand on the other.

It will be costly and complicated to link production from northeastern British Columbia’s vast shale natural gas fields to Asian consumers, but it’s an undertaking several observers say is worthwhile.

Ralph Glass, vice-president at AJM Petroleum Consultants in Calgary, likens the task to the construction of Canada’s major railways and seaways…..

It’s clear to energy consultant Glass that there’s enough Asian demand to soak up Canadian supply, but he’s less sure about the logistics of connecting the two.

He said there currently is not enough pipeline infrastructure between northeastern B.C. and the coast to accommodate the volumes necessary for each of the proposed projects. Getting new pipelines approved and built can be a slow process.

Enbridge didn’t detect Norman Wells pipeline leak: CBC

CBC

Video only  June 8, 2011 

Aboriginal hunters first detected the oil link from the Norman Wells pipeline.

June 7, 2011

No coverup in N.W.T. pipeline leak: Enbridge

Enbridge says it was not covering up the true size of a pipeline leak in the Northwest Territories, which leaked up to 1,500 barrels into the northern environment… from its Norman Wells pipeline on May 9… 

 Enbridge executive Leon Zupan told CBC News that crews only discovered the true size of the spill after they started drilling down into the permafrost to obtain core samples.

Enbridge officials say they don’t know how the leak began, but they said the oil leaked out of an opening about the size of a pinhole….

 Oil coming out of such a small opening has, over time, created a spill about half a hectare in size, according to the company.

Cullen renews calls for tanker ban on west coast: CFJW

CFJW 

Skeena Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen is using World Ocean’s Day to call on Prime Minister Stephan Harper to immediately legislate an oil tanker ban off the north coast.

 The Federal Natural Resources Critic says the the voices of BC First nations, municipal leaders and residents are incredibly strong and united on the urgent need for a legislated tanker ban.”

Enbridge still short on pipeline support: Globe and Mail

Globe and Mail

Enbridge Inc. is struggling to win aboriginal support for its Northern Gateway project, despite major financial promises and efforts to curry support through sponsoring golf tournaments, powwows and rodeos, regulatory documents filed by the company show. 

 Enbridge has pledged some $1-billion in financial sweeteners to first nations, including a 10-per-cent equity stake in the project and promises of hiring guarantees and hundreds of millions in spending on aboriginal businesses….

But documents filed with the National Energy Board by Enbridge… show that a surprising number of groups do not appear interested in the offer….