LNG - Now for the LAWSUIT:. . CNOOC . . NEXEN . . BC Gvt.

LNG - Now for the LAWSUIT:. . CNOOC . . NEXEN . . BC Gvt.

Postby Oscar » Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:32 am

CNOOC Limited to examine LNG development in British Columbia, Canada through Nexen

[ http://www.nexeninc.com/en/AboutUs/Medi ... _id=135199 ]

November 12, 2013

HONG KONG, Nov. 12, 2013 /CNW/ - CNOOC Limited (the "Company", NYSE: CEO, SEHK: 00883, TSX: CNU) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary Nexen Energy ULC (Nexen), has entered into an exclusive agreement with the Government of British Columbia, Canada to examine the viability of constructing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant and export terminal at Grassy Point near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada.

The agreement with the Government of British Columbia, represented by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, grants Nexen and its joint venture partners INPEX Corporation and JGC Corporation, the exclusive right to pursue long-term access to Crown land at Grassy Point.

"LNG export is the most attractive option for maximizing the value of our Canadian shale gas business," said Li Fanrong, CEO of CNOOC Limited. "With robust financial capacity, a track record of efficient, innovative and responsible development and significant LNG expertise, Nexen and our joint venture partners are well positioned to pursue this opportunity."

In addition to assessing the suitability of the Grassy Point site, the decision to proceed with LNG development is subject to a variety of internal and external approvals. Financial attractiveness is dependent on acceptable cost estimates, fiscal terms and obtaining acceptably-priced sales agreements.

"We have a long process ahead that includes a site viability review, a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and stakeholder consultation," said Kevin Reinhart, CEO of Nexen. "Throughout the planning process, we'll also examine the steps we can take to help the Province of British Columbia realize its goal of creating a strong and competitive LNG industry that creates jobs, strengthens pan-Pacific trading relationships and delivers lasting social and economic benefits."

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com.
Last edited by Oscar on Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
Oscar
Site Admin
 
Posts: 9078
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm

Agreement reached on land to build LNG facility at Grassy Po

Postby Oscar » Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:52 am

Agreement reached on land to build LNG facility at Grassy Point

[ http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/11/a ... point.html ]

Tuesday, November 12, 2013 2:25 PM

VANCOUVER - A new liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) export facility called Aurora LNG is another step closer at Grassy Point near Prince Rupert, thanks to an agreement between the Government of British Columbia and Nexen Energy ULC, a wholly owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited and its joint venture partners, INPEX Corporation and JGC Corporation. Premier Christy Clark announced the details of the agreement in Vancouver today.

"As the global economy continues to struggle, LNG presents a singular opportunity to transform our economy," said Premier Clark. "While we have a lot more work ahead of us, this agreement is another step towards realizing that opportunity."

LNG development at Grassy Point is subject to regulatory approval and investment decisions by the joint venture partners.

Today's agreement is the result of a Request for Expression of Interest initiated by the Province in February 2013. The request provided industry with an opportunity to submit LNG development proposals for an area of provincial Crown land known as Grassy Point. The request attracted four suitable submissions. Discussions are ongoing with the remaining three proponents for an adjacent parcel of land at Grassy Point.

"Through project assessment and stakeholder consultation we are committed to examining the potential to build a best-in-class LNG facility - one that creates jobs, delivers lasting economic and social benefits and is developed with the environment top-of-mind," said Nexen CEO Kevin Reinhart, on behalf of his company and joint venture partners, INPEX and JGC.

The agreement between the Province of British Columbia and Aurora LNG is a sole proponent agreement, which provides the companies involved with the exclusive right to move forward with the planning necessary to build LNG export infrastructure at Grassy Point.

"Building an LNG export industry is an unprecedented opportunity to create thousands of jobs while supplying Asian markets with the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel," said Minister of Natural Gas Development Rich Coleman. "Natural gas is redefining the economic prospects of British Columbians, and our government will ensure these benefits are enjoyed for generations to come."

Aurora LNG joins an expansive list of industry projects making strides in the province, many of which are already investing in B.C.'s natural-gas sector and boosting local economies. There are now 10 LNG project proposals in British Columbia.

As part of its future planning, Aurora LNG will need to acquire an export permit from the National Energy Board. It will also have to submit project descriptions with British Columbia and Canada to successfully complete the environmental assessment process.

The Province will continue to work with industry, First Nations and communities to ensure lasting benefits are achieved as the industry develops.

Assuming five LNG plants and the supporting pipelines are built, more than 39,000 annual jobs will be created over a nine-year construction period and 75,000 jobs once these plants are fully operational.

Learn More:

British Columbia's Liquefied Natural Gas Strategy:
[ http://www.empr.gov.bc.ca/SiteCollectio ... 130627.pdf ]

LNG One Year Update:
[ http://www.gov.bc.ca/com/attachments/LN ... 130207.pdf ]

For a list of LNG proposals in B.C.
[ http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/ministrie ... umbia.html ]

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Sam Oliphant, Press Secretary, Office of the Premier, 250 952-7252

Sandra Steilo, Media Relations, Ministry of Natural Gas Development
250 952-0617

BACKGROUNDER

Agreement Between B.C. and Aurora LNG

On Nov. 12, 2013, the Government of British Columbia announced a sole proponent agreement with Aurora LNG.

The sole proponent agreement provides Aurora LNG with the exclusive rights to pursue long-term Crown land tenure in the Grassy Point area.
The agreement is for the northern part of Grassy Point, which covers 614.9 hectares of land, plus foreshore land equalling 158.7 hectares.
Aurora LNG will be examining the viability of constructing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant and export terminal at this location.

Under the agreement, Aurora LNG will pay $12 million to the Province upon signing the sole proponent agreement. Another $12 million will be paid by Aurora LNG on, or before, the first anniversary of the agreement, as long as the proponent wants the arrangement to continue.

The right to acquire the land for construction or long-term use remains a matter of future negotiations. If the land is acquired by Aurora LNG, the $24 million submitted to government will be subtracted from the final sale price.

As part of the agreement, specific milestones must be achieved:
Aurora LNG must file for an export licence from Canada's National Energy Board within a certain timeframe of the agreement.

Aurora LNG must also submit a Project Description - with Canada and with the Province British Columbia - to initiate the environmental assessment process.

Development at Grassy Point is subject to regulatory approval and a final investment decision by the proponent.

Aurora LNG is a joint venture by Nexen Energy ULC, a wholly owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, INPEX Corporation and JGC Corporation.
Contacts:

Sam Oliphant, Press Secretary, Office of the Premier, 250 952-7252

Sandra Steilo, Media Relations, Ministry of Natural Gas Development
250 952-0617
Oscar
Site Admin
 
Posts: 9078
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm

BC oil and gas regulator faces fracking lawsuit

Postby Oscar » Tue Nov 19, 2013 10:55 am

BC oil and gas regulator faces fracking lawsuit

[ http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2013/11 ... king-Suit/ ]

By David P. Ball Published November 13, 2013 11:50 am |

The BC Liberal government's heavy push for liquified natural gas (LNG) development in the province may have successfully placated some opponents, such as big labour unions, with promises of more than 100,000 jobs and massive revenues for the province.
[ http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2013/09 ... Committee/ ]

But with controversy over hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, trickling north from the U.S. -- where it has long been a pitched environmental battle -- B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission now faces a lawsuit from environmental groups who accuse it of breaching the Water Act by granting hundreds of short-term permits to natural gas companies annually and allegedly endangering waterways.
[ http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws ... 0_96483_01 ]

Energy firm Encana is also named in the lawsuit.

Filed today, the lawsuit will be argued by environmental law firm Ecojustice on behalf of the Wilderness Committee and Sierra Club BC, whose campaigner Caitlyn Vernon said that the downside of the province's natural gas boom must be taken into account.
[ http://www.ecojustice.ca/media-centre/p ... reme-court ]

[ http://www.ecojustice.ca/media-centre/p ... ow-morning ]

"The B.C. government's LNG agenda comes with a cost, and the cost is B.C.'s water," Vernon said in a statement. "The proposed new LNG industry would require a huge increase in drilling and fracking, sucking northern lakes and rivers dry and contaminating watersheds -- just as we're seeing increased droughts due to climate change."

The lawsuit comes just after B.C. announced a deal
[ http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/11/12/ln ... cking-suit ] with Nexen,
[ http://www.nexeninc.com/en/AboutUs/Medi ... _id=135199 ] a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned CNOOC, on Tuesday to open a major facility called Aurora LNG. Last Wednesday, the province announced new findings suggesting northeastern B.C.'s Montney Formation may hold more than double previous estimates of gas, or 2,933 trillion cubic feet.
[ http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2013/11/06/bc ... tes-report ]

Announcing the Nexen deal on Tuesday, Natural Gas Minister Rich Coleman said that the industry is "redefining the economic prospects" of British Columbians.
[ http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2013/11/a ... point.html ]

"Building an LNG export industry is an unprecedented opportunity to create thousands of jobs while supplying Asian markets with the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel," he said in a statement. "Our government will ensure these benefits are enjoyed for generations to come."

Fracking is a controversial process to extract natural gas from shale rock deep underground. Massive amounts of water and chemicals are forced down drill holes at high pressure, cracking up the rock to release the fossil fuel. Pollution from the leftover contaminated water
[ http://www.ecojustice.ca/media-centre/p ... ow-morning ] is one of environmentalists' greatest concerns, as well as the small earthquakes
[ http://www.usgs.gov/faq/index.php?sid=5 ... artlang=en ] that can be caused by fracking and climate change.

Ecojustice staff lawyer Karen Campbell said that her clients are concerned about the ecological and water resource impact of hundreds of short-term permit approvals annually by the province.

"Our clients' position is that the Oil and Gas Commission is violating the Water Act and thereby unlawfully allowing oil and gas companies drain water from lakes, rivers and streams in the northeast for drilling and fracking," Campbell said in a statement.

Last week, demonstrators with the activist group Rising Tide set up a fake plastic fracking rig on Premier Christy Clark's front yard before being ordered to leave by police. Clark criticized the protest for creating an "aggressive" environment for her family, but activists retorted that hydraulic fracturing will have a much worse impact on people's homes and communities up north.

The impacts of hydraulic fracturing are also in question in Rexton, New Brunswick, where months of protests against SWN Resources' gas exploration boiled over in October with a massive police raid on Elsipogtog First Nation blockaders, to enforce the company's injunction. That ended in hundreds of police withdrawing after the arrest of 40 Mi'kmaq protestors and the burning of six police vehicles. This week, SWN resumed its explorations escorted by RCMP officers.

David P. Ball is a frequent contributor to The Tyee.
Oscar
Site Admin
 
Posts: 9078
Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm


Return to LNG - Liquid Natural Gas

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests

cron