Recent History – 2002-2003
October 3, 2003 — Gary Rusak, Daily News Staff
EnCana is aiming at drilling up to 200 wells in the area of its major land purchase near Dawson Creek, according to Mike Graham, the president of Canadian foothills and frontier region development for the Calgary-based oil company.
“We are out there drilling a little right now,” he said. “It is all going to be traditional deep basin drilling.”
EnCana is the major buyer of the $418 million oil and gas rights sales. The sale has been trumpeted by South Peace MLA Blair Lekstrom as meaning “billions of dollars for the region”.
Graham said that there are no plans for EnCana to become involved in coalbed methane exploration or any sour gas production. “We are essentially going to be concentrating on sweet gas,” he said. Sweet gas is natural gas without the hydrogen sulfide component.
At the Oil and Gas conference Graham ensured businesses that EnCana would make every effort to support the local service industry.
“I think our track record speaks for itself on that issue,” he said. “If you see the work that we have done in Fort St. John then you know what we are aiming for.”
Economist David Baxter, the keynote speaker at the Oilmen’s Soiree and Western barbecue, outlined the need for increased gas production. He told conference delegates that in order to support the aging population the oil and gas sector of the economy would need to grow. “The bottom line is that there is going to be a huge demand for energy,” he said adding that need for alternative energy will be a factor but “the core for the next 40 to 50 years is still fossil fuels.”
Graham believes that the Peace Region will play a major role in thefossil fuel sector of the B.C. economy.
“We are ecstatic about being in business in northern B.C.,” he said. “We see it as the future of gas production.”
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.