September 2007 Issue
DOING BUSINESS
Eye-in-the Sky Tracks the Oilsands
BY NORDAHL FLAKSTAD
Freelance Writer
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Shell Canada Ltd. is collaborating with the European Space Agency to use satellite imagery for stakeholders to monitor future reclamation of its oilsands leases. Shell worked with Vancouver’s Hatfield Consultants and a team of Canadian and European specialists to test the agency’s satellite technology.
Satellite imagery and geographic information systems create before-and-after
records of the effects of oilsands activities at the Muskeg River Mine and Jackpine
Mine in northeast Alberta.
This imagery also monitors vegetation and covers large areas with a high level
of detail. It captures roads, power lines, and other installations that can fragment
habitat, and it tracks the land-use changes associated with mining.
NEB Warns of Pipeline Apportionment
Canadian crude oil pipelines could be facing a transportation bottleneck this
fall, says a National Energy Board report.
The NEB report, An Assessment of the Canadian Hydrocarbon Transportation
System, says there probably won’t be enough pipeline capacity this
fall to ship the surge of crude from Alberta’s oilsands.
By the fourth quarter of 2007, Western Canadian oil pipelines could be facing
periods of apportionment — the sharing of space among shippers. With no
significant additions to the Canadian pipeline system planned before 2009, apportionment
could be in place for up to 18 months.
Lockerbie & Hole Unveils IPO Plans
Lockerbie & Hole Inc., with a presence in Edmonton dating
back more than a century, has announced plans to raise $70.5 million through
an initial public offering.
The company, one of Canada’s largest mechanical contractors, works extensively in Alberta’s oilsands. Activity there amounts to more than 60 per cent of the firm’s revenue stream.
Lockerbie & Hole is listing its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The Hole family owns more than half of the company, which has 250 employees in six Canadian offices. Polar Capital holds a one-third interest.
Stantec Boosts Presence in Atlantic Canada
Stantec is buying a 13-office, 700-staff firm from New Brunswick,
published reports last month said. Even without the purchase, Stantec has 100
locations and 6,500 employees in North American and the Caribbean.
Neill and Gunter of Fredericton has signed a letter of intent to join Stantec, allowing the Edmonton firm to further entrench its Atlantic Canada and New England presence.
North American Tapped For TMX Anchor Loop
North American Energy Partners Inc. has received a $185-million contract to build
the TMX Anchor Loop, aimed at increasing shipments on Kinder Morgan’s
Trans Mountain Pipeline from Edmonton to Vancouver.
About 160 kilometres of new pipeline will be placed on Kinder Morgan’s right-of-way through Jasper National Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park.
Dynetek Industries Steps Aboard B.C. Contract For Hydrogen Buses
Dynetek Industries Ltd. of Calgary is one of the three main
subcontractors on BC Transit’s order for the world’s first fleet
of hydrogen fuel cell buses. New Flyer Industries of Winnipeg will build the
buses, and Dynetek will work on the hydrogen storage system.
Ballard Power Systems of Burnaby will provide fuel-cell modules. ISE Corp. of San Diego is responsible for the hybrid drive system for the buses, which are scheduled for delivery in 2009 under a $46.4-million contract.
Chinese Ease Out Of Gateway Pipeline
Blaming construction delays, the China National Petroleum Corp. has signalled
that its subsidiary PetroChina Co. is stepping back from involvement in the $4-billion
Gateway Pipeline.
In 2005, PetroChina entered into a memorandum of understanding with Enbridge Inc. to develop the Gateway, to carry up to 400,000 bbl/d of crude to B.C. for further shipment to China. The mother company said it could not wait the expected 10 years for project completion.
Chinese National denied related reports that this represented a shift away from Alberta oilsands involvement to focus on the Orinoco heavy-oil belt in Venezuela.
Oilsands Consultations Generate Plenty of Recommendations
The Oil Sands Consultations Multistakeholder Committee has released its final
report and its Aboriginal consultation final report — with no shortage
of recommendations.
Based on stakeholder input, the committee developed 120 recommendations,
including 96 consensus recommendations. Twenty-four non-consensus items are also
included for government consideration.
The Oil Sands Consultations Multistakeholder Committee Final Report and
the Aboriginal Consultation Final Report come out of extensive public
consultations on the impact of oilsands development. The consulting took place
throughout the province over the last year.
Consensus recommendations deal with nine major areas. These are
• First Nations and Métis
• quality of life
• the environment
• maximizing value-added opportunities
• healthy communities
• benefits to Albertans and the post-oil economy
• world leadership in education, technology and skilled workforce
• high-quality infrastructure and services
• governance.
The Aboriginal Consultation Final Report provides an overview of separate consultation processes, plus wide-ranging recommendations relating to First Nations and Métis communities.
Vance MacNichol, P.Eng., the committee’s chair, says the reports contain “a vision, principles, strategies and action plans that we believe are relevant and essential to the responsible development of our oil sands resource.”