Economics

Ottawa keeps pipeline projects on hold, industry says

Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post Published: Wednesday, October 01, 2008

CALGARY -- Pipeline projects in Canada need timely government decisions, said Brenda Kenny, the president of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association.

In speech in Calgary Wednesday, she said the penalty for delays is cost overruns and uncertainty.

"We are poised at this critical juncture to build the infrastructure necessary to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy to all Canadians," she said.

Canada Stocks Fall, Led by Suncor, Bombardier; Manulife Gains
By John Kipphoff

Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian stocks extended their decline, after the biggest monthly drop in a decade, as energy producers and industrial companies fell on concern that the $700 billion U.S. rescue plan for banks won't stave off a recession.

Candidates speak in Fort Providence
Andrew Livingstone
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 29, 2008

DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE - Candidates vying the Western Arctic's lone seat in Parliament got a chance Wednesday to show their colours at a federal candidates forum in Fort Providence.

All five candidates to appear on the ballot Oct. 14, including First Peoples Party of Canada candidate Noeline Villebrun were in attendance to answer questions from the Fort Providence community.

Rail upgrade to Fort McMurray almost complete
David Finlayson, edmontonjournal.com
September 30, 2008

EDMONTON - The $135 million upgrade of the former Athabasca Northern rail line to Fort McMurray is 75 per cent complete and CN has commitments from oilsands customers to ship sulphur and petroleum coke to Asia, executive vice-president Jim Foote said today.

Coming the other way will be construction materials and diluent, a petroleum product used to thin out bitumen so it can to move through pipelines, Foote said.

Teck scraps Cominco brand, recasts business unit structure
Oct 1 2008

VANCOUVER — Teck Cominco Ltd. (TSX:TCK.B) is eliminating Cominco from its name and announcing a five-division structure to reflect its growth through acquisitions.

The five divisions specialize in copper, metallurgical coal, zinc, gold and energy, and the new name and logo "more accurately reflect Teck's diversified portfolio of commodities," the company said Wednesday.

ATCO Frontec and Fort McKay First Nation Open 500-Room Oilsands Lodge North of Fort McMurray
Creeburn Lake Lodge Delivers Sustainable Benefits to Joint Venture Partners

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Oct. 1, 2008) - Partners ATCO Frontec and the Fort McKay First Nation officially opened their 500-room Creeburn Lake Lodge on Wednesday which brings much-needed, high quality accommodation to the Alberta oilsands region 65 kilometres north of Fort McMurray.

Oil sands safe from U.S. law, advocates say
Environmentalists claim victory as Canadian officials fail to weaken legislation that limits Washington's fuel choices
JOHN PARTRIDGE
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
October 1, 2008 at 6:58 AM EDT

U.S. environmentalists have declared another victory in their efforts to protect legislation that threatens Canada's booming oil sands, but oil sands advocates say there is no triumph to celebrate.

Hoeven, Pipeline Authority, Industry Officials Outline Petroleum Infrastructure Progress

Major Natural Gas Pipelines (298kb pdf)
Major Crude oil Pipelines (690kb pdf)
Natural Gas Processing Plants (17kb pdf)
Pipeline and Rail Capacity Expansion (513kb pdf)

Bismarck, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today was joined by petroleum and pipeline industry leaders, Oil and Gas Division Director Lynn Helms and Pipeline Authority Director Justin Kringstad to outline current and scheduled progress in expanding the state’s oil and gas production and processing infrastructure.

PM optimistic on Arctic gas
Reuters
Published: Thursday, August 28, 2008

TUKTOYAKTUK, N.W.T. -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday he remains optimistic the $16.2-billion Mackenzie gas project in the Arctic will eventually proceed, despite years of delays.

The proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline, which would carry gas to markets in Canada and the United States from three large fields in the Mackenzie River Delta, has been mired in a lengthy regulatory process while costs have surged.

Harper said the project meant more to Canada than just a "commercial gas project."