South Peace Historical Society

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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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BN12-36: Oil & Gas Drilling at Record Pace

Recent History – 2000

April 5, 2000

DAWSON CREEK — It’s been a banner winter in the oil patch.

Rob McManus, commissioner of the Oil and Gas Commission (OGC), told council Monday that although the final figures are not in yet, it looks to have been the busiest drilling season on record.

At one point, during January and February, there were 130 rigs operating in the province, making this the first fiscal year with more than 100.

As well, he said the OGC received 73 per cent more applications this fiscal year over last, surpassing the 1,500 application mark.

And it is expected that the record for the number of wells drilled in one year, 696 in 1997-98, will be broken. As of March 10, 681 were recorded for 1999-2000.

Those high numbers are translating into some big bucks. McManus said that the province has collected $685 million in fees, royalties and bids.

And he said that each is a $1.2 million investment that generates about $1.6 million in royalties.

McManus also addressed concerns that aboriginal people were being given preference when it comes to hiring.

Although the OGC encourages companies to hire aboriginal people and British Columbians who are qualified, he said it is still up to the contractors to decide who gets the jobs.

“Who you hire or don’t hire will not influence the speed of applications,” he said.

He said the OGC’s involvement in aboriginal issues is limited to consulting First Nations about possible treaty infringements.

This article is taken from the Peace River Block Daily News, Dawson Creek, with the permission of the publisher. The Daily News retains all rights relating to this material. The information in this article is intended solely for research or general interest purposes.

« BN12-35: Quintette Closing – Tumbler Ridge in Shock

BN12-37: Dawson Co-Op Members Choose New Board »

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