Alberta heeds wake-up call 12/27/2009
Province's premier agrees royalty changes are needed to counter the potential loss of C$4 billion from shale gas 'game changer'
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has promised more changes to his government's unpopular royalty framework, which has been tinkered with over the past two years amid a rapid erosion of upstream investment....

On the one hand, on... 12/20/2009
Husky, Nexen on opposite sides of cap-ex fence in Canada as analysts count on largest companies sticking close to '09 spending
As Canada's leading upstream companies start to unveil their 2010 capital spending programs, some appear more inclined to bide their time than others. Analysts doubt the budgets of major players will...

Canada: Cleaning off a 'dirty' image 12/20/2009
Canadian, Alberta political, industry leaders defend record in oil sands, say they are ready to participate in any Copenhagen deal
Government and industry leaders are fighting back against a tidal wave of criticism and abuse flowing from the Copenhagen climate change summit that has Canada cast as a "corrupt petro-state" because...

Alberta's chance to 'get it right' 12/06/2009
Government to release interim findings of competitiveness review; industry leaders say results key to business, government future
Aware, after more than two years of meddling with its oil and natural gas royalties, that it has lost the confidence of industry and investors, the Alberta government has one last chance to "get it ri...

Asia-bound, 'sooner rather than later' 11/29/2009
Enbridge, Kinder on verge of revealing strategies to open new markets for Alberta oil sands production, urged on by interest groups
Between now and mid-2010, the prospects of shipping bitumen from the Alberta oil sands to Asian refineries are heading toward make-or-break decisions. Enbridge anticipates submitting an application to...

It's big and it's 'real' 11/15/2009
Canadian study points to 5.3 million barrels per day from oil sands by 2043
The Canadian Energy Research Institute figures that a "realistic" target for oil sands production by 2043 is 5.3 million barrels per day, almost a five-fold increase over the next 34 years, hitting 1....

Canada expects to turn upstream corner; 4% activity uptick forecast 11/08/2009
The first official industry stab at forecasting Canadian upstream activity in 2010 targets a 4 percent increase from 2009 in the drilling rig count in Western Canada to an average of 218. The Canadian...

Rising from Canada's upstream EandP ashes 11/01/2009
2009 drilling heads for 17-year low; regulators see some turnaround in permit applications; CAPP expects modest upturn in spending
Amid the wreckage there are a few pieces of hope in Canada's upstream, mostly pointing to a partial recovery in 2010. With drilling currently headed for its lowest point in 17 years, regulators have s...

No quick carbon fixes 10/25/2009
Oil sands leader argues 'absolute' limits on oil sands' GHG would burden sector; Imperial boss says answers could take 100 years
Two leading players in the Alberta oil sands - the flashpoint of Canada's climate-change wrangling - have answered criticism that the sector is not doing enough to explain itself. In the process, the...

Fiscal climate in eastern Canada calm 10/11/2009
Area economy small, driven by large offshore projects; Repsol newest player; ConocoPhillips hunting rig, may face political issues
Eastern Canada is a region normally associated with high winds and high unemployment. Ironically, however, the fiscal climate there remains calm during this recession. In some parts of the region, rea...

Tackling a new gas equation 09/06/2009
Canadian industry lobby groups join forces to promote the use of gas for power generation and transportation across North America
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers is happy when natural gas prices are high and rising, keeping its member companies profitable and busy. The Canadian Gas Association likes to tell the w...

MAPLE LEAFS: Pipeline injuries trouble regulator 08/23/2009
The Canadian pipeline sector is becoming a more dangerous place to work, according to a National Energy Board study on worker safety, which found that close to two of every 100 workers suffered a seri...

TransCanada, Enbridge going at it again 08/23/2009
Pipeline giants lock horns over rival attempts to establish a 'bullet' crude oil pipeline from Alberta to U.S. Gulf Coast
When the National Energy Board convenes on Sept. 15 it could be adjudicating another brawl between TransCanada and Enbridge, Canada's pipeline heavyweights. They just can't seem to get along. In the...

B.C. turns up the heat; puts more logs on royalty fire with stimulus 08/16/2009
If it's not all-out war there's at least a skirmish taking place across the Canadian Rockies as British Columbia and Alberta strive for popularity within the petroleum industry. Both governments do th...

Upgrading starts at home 08/02/2009
Alberta government invites proposals for bitumen-in-kind program to slow outflow of bitumen to U.S; strategy welcomed by some
Almost two years after unveiling the "framework" of its infamous new royalty regime, the Alberta government has delivered on one of its secondary proposals, which involves taking raw bitumen in kind r...

EnCana gets deadline to pull out 07/26/2009
The person who claims to be responsible for a series of bomb attacks on EnCana natural gas facilities in British Columbia is going high profile. Taking a brazen approach, the individual has sent two l...

Alberta tries for 'fifth time' lucky 07/05/2009
Adds another year to drilling incentives; industry sees competitiveness review as best chance for government to 'get it right'
Once a global beacon of oil and natural gas investment stability, Alberta is making frantic efforts to regain that reputation by trying to arrest the plunging fortunes of an industry that gave it 12 s...

Canada to match US climate-change rules 07/05/2009
Canada will play ball with the United States on climate-change regulations to avoid crippling tariffs on its oil exports, but will continue to press its case in Washington for other clean-energy alter...

Keep them coming 06/28/2009
Industry leaders press Alberta government to extend royalty incentives by another year, note Saskatchewan, B.C. offer better terms
The Alberta government is under pressure to extend its short-term royalty incentives by another year, thus allowing companies to plan for a stepped-up drilling season in the upcoming peak winter seaso...

British Columbia fires up gas enthusiasm 06/28/2009
Single sale almost doubles Alberta's first-half performance; prompts B.C. optimism that Horn River development could occur in 2010
British Columbia has jolted Western Canada out of its 2009 land sales slumber, unloading 21 licenses in its scorching-hot Horn River shale gas region for C$179 million, setting the stage for full-scal...

Alberta bitumen production on the way up 06/21/2009
Province's energy regulator points to 131% increase over next decade to 3 million bpd; forecasts 36% drop in gas, excluding shale
Alberta bitumen production will increase by 131 percent over the next decade to 3 million barrels per day, accounting for 88 percent of the province's total oil output, the Energy Resources Conservati...

Canada unveils carbon trading plans 06/21/2009
Market could start operations later this year; environment minister hopes domestic market will grow into North American version
The Canadian government has taken its long-delayed step towards carbon trading that it hopes will lead to a North American marketplace embracing the United States and Mexico. Environment Minister Jim...

Economic rollercoaster produces range of Canadian oil forecasts 06/14/2009
Canadian oil production could rise by anywhere from more than 4 percent to 53 percent over the next 16 years based on a range of forecasts by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers that under...

Throwing fact at fiction 06/07/2009
Analysts, industry take issue with claims Canadian gas can't compete with US shales; no clear-cut winner found in comparison of 3 years of FDandA costs
There are early signs of a groundswell among analysts and industry leaders to counter the prevailing wisdom that Canadian gas producers have no hope of competing with U.S. shale gas plays. Canada's no...

Canada seeks common ground with US 05/31/2009
President Barack Obama's climate change strategy is forcing the Canadian government to step up its efforts to ensure that the Alberta oil sands remain viable. Prime Minister Stephen Harper told report...