A task force report that examines transportation options for moving Alberta crude through British Columbia should be made public later this month, says a representative of the B.C. Ministry of Natural Gas Development.
In July, premiers Alison Redford and Christy Clark announced the formation of a joint-provincial working group tasked with the shared goals of developing recommendations for opening new markets, expanding export opportunities, creating jobs and strengthening both Alberta’s and B.C.’s economies through growth of the oil and gas sector.
In October, the premiers released the terms of reference guiding their joint working group to open new energy-export markets.
Steve Carr, deputy minister for B.C.’s natural gas development ministry, and Grant Sprague, Alberta’s deputy minister of energy, led the task force compiling the report.
Neither Carr nor Sprague were available on Tuesday for comment about the report, but Carr’s senior executive assistant confirmed with the Daily Oil Bulletin that the report would be released to the public later in January.
The report’s terms of reference focus on five key areas, including examination of resource transportation options. Other focus areas included harmonization of marine and land spill response, ensuring fair fiscal and economic benefits to both provinces, consulting with First Nations and increasing public awareness of responsible resource development.
The final report of the joint-provincial task force, with recommendations and an action plan, was to be submitted to both leaders by the end of 2013, and a B.C. ministry spokeswoman confirmed that the report indeed has been completed and is under review.
According to the group’s terms of reference, there are two oil pipeline projects that have been proposed in British Columbia: the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines project and the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion project. However, if those pipeline projects are not developed, the provinces can consider rail as a viable alternative that “will step into the void to deliver bitumen to the West Coast.”
