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Gold/Mining/Energy : Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	5/12/2005 10:28:13 AM
From: Dennis Roth	Respond to of 570

Delays could kill Arctic Canada pipeline: report Wed May 11, 2005 5:47 PM GMT-04:00 reuters.ca By Jeffrey Jones CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Land-access disputes between oil firms and northern Canadian native groups must be solved in six to 12 months or the companies may drop plans for a C$7 billion ($5.6 billion) gas pipeline to focus on U.S. liquefied natural gas projects, a top analyst said Wednesday. Of the two major Arctic gas projects being proposed in North America, the Mackenzie Valley pipeline faces the biggest risk of being canceled due to its high-profile delays, said Tristone Capital analyst Chris Theal, author of a new 50-page report on the prospects for northern frontier gas. Mackenzie partners Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips and Royal Dutch/Shell are also proposing several terminals to "regassify" LNG in the United States to help make up for declining domestic production. "You've got lower risk from an execution standpoint, I'd say the cost certainty is somewhat better, particularly from a labor standpoint, and the 'first-mover' advantage is hugely material at this point," Theal said. "Most of these are coming on prior to 2010, so ahead of the window for Mackenzie." The Mackenzie project was thrown into limbo two weeks ago when lead partner Imperial Oil Ltd. said the group was halting detailed engineering and contract awards, blaming spiraling cash demands from aboriginal communities in the Northwest Territories, and red tape. The line would ship up to 1.9 billion cubic feet a day to southern markets from the Mackenzie Delta on the Beaufort Sea coast. Imperial said it took the step partly because native groups demanded hundreds of millions of dollars from the companies in exchange for access to their lands, partly to fund social programs and infrastructure. It urged the federal and territorial governments to deal with these issues. In his report, Theal said construction costs, due to soaring steel prices and a tight labor market, are escalating as delays persist. Besides the Mackenzie Valley line and a spate of LNG proposals, oil companies are planning a $20 billion pipeline to major U.S. gas markets from Alaska. With estimated North American gas demand increasing by an average 1.2 percent a year, and output from conventional fields slipping by 1 percent, new sources will have to add 26 billion cubic feet a day by 2020, the report predicted. The same players proposing Canadian and Alaskan pipelines have plans to build LNG terminals with an overall capacity of 13 bcf to be on stream by 2010. More are earmarked for later. Senior officials from the Canadian and Northwest Territories governments are meeting with all players to find a way to break the logjam facing the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. On Tuesday, the governments announced Ottawa would provide millions of dollars in interim funding to northern communities for social and economic projects in an effort to ease the demands being placed on the project partners. But Theal said only a new deal allowing the territory to collect and retain much more tax and royalty money itself will solve the problem. The governments said on Tuesday they were close to a draft deal on so-called devolution of powers. "The government has to step in and show the Northwest Territories and the First Nations a direct stream of royalty and tax revenue that would provide them certainty," he said. "That would also provide the producers certainty in the context of what the implications of cost are for them prior to this thing actually happening." Imperial said it hoped for a solution to the land access and benefits disputes before a hearing slated for autumn.

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	5/18/2005 7:25:27 AM
From: Dennis Roth	Respond to of 570

Second Aboriginal Group Files Mackenzie Pipeline Lawsuit By Bob Weber 17 May 2005 at 09:42 PM EDT resourceinvestor.com EDMONTON (CP) -- A second northern aboriginal group that says it has been ignored by government and industry has filed a lawsuit to try to stop hearings into a proposed C$7-billion Mackenzie Valley pipeline. ''They were never even told about the process,'' said Robert Freedman, the lawyer who filed an application for a judicial review of the regulatory process Tuesday. Freedman represents about 2,500 Dene Tha', whose members are spread over seven reserves in northwestern Alberta, northeastern British Columbia and the southern end of the Northwest Territories. The pipeline would be routed across about 100 kilometres of Dene Tha' traditional lands, and the group says it has been ignored in the project's design and early regulatory process. The lawsuit seeks a judicial stay of hearings by the joint review panel until the Dene Tha' voice is heard. It also asks the court to rule that Alberta sections of the pipeline should be included in the review and not hived off to provincial regulators. The Dene Tha', signatories to Treaty 8, will seek a share of any benefits from the project. Freedman said his clients have written Imperial Oil, federal ministries, the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to say ''what about us?'' The lawsuit claims the federal government hasn't lived up to its responsibility to ensure that aboriginal concerns are taken into account over industrial development on traditional lands. It says the lands have already been heavily affected by thousands of oil and gas wells and hundreds of kilometres of pipelines and roads, as well as by intensive logging. The Mackenzie Valley pipeline would run across one of the few areas left for Dene Tha' practices. ''They live, in a lot of cases, a fairly traditional life,'' said Freedman. ''They use their traditional lands, not just their reserves. ''They keep having to go further off in their territory to have any place left to perform these activities.'' Freedman said his clients aren't opposed to development, but want a say and a share of benefits. The Dene Tha' also say Imperial Oil has not included information on the Alberta portion of the project in its environmental impact assessment. ''If the joint review panel makes recommendations, there's no mechanism to enforce them in Alberta,'' Freedman said. Instead, pipeline companies have filed applications with the Alberta regulator. ''We don't care who builds the southern project, but it's one project,'' said Freedman. ''If you split the project, you're ignoring cumulative effects.'' The Deh Cho, who live in the southwestern corner of the N.W.T., have also filed lawsuits to block hearings until they get a stronger voice on the panel that will hear the pipeline application. Negotiators from that group and the federal government are meeting this week to discuss a federal offer to settle the lawsuit out of court.

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	5/23/2005 12:59:04 PM
From: Dennis Roth	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 570

FUELING AMERICA CANADIAN OIL SHOWDOWN Frozen pipeline: Tribe's success at blocking natural gas delivery system threatens development of oil-sands mines sfgate.com "The oil companies should see the Mackenzie situation as a wake-up call, but they haven't," said Dave Porter, chief of the Kaska Dene First Nation and negotiator for a coalition of 10 tribal groups in British Columbia and Yukon whose lands surround the proposed Alaska pipeline right of way. Three of these 10 tribes have unresolved historic land claims against the federal government, and all are demanding that any pipeline deal grant them the same sort of tax powers and social spending programs as the Mackenzie groups want.

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	5/31/2005 10:51:52 AM
From: Dennis Roth	Respond to of 570

First Nations group to settle pipeline suits theglobeandmail.com By DAVE EBNER Tuesday, May 31, 2005 Page B4 CALGARY -- The Deh Cho First Nations are ready to settle two lawsuits with Ottawa, removing a major barrier to the development of the proposed $7-billion Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline. Deh Cho chiefs and elders have given unanimous but conditional approval to a deal Ottawa tabled in mid-May. It includes $15-million for economic development. "We need to move on," said Herb Norwegian, Deh Cho grant chief. "But at the same time, we're a bit hesitant . . . Nothing is final." Approval was given at a meeting of Deh Cho leaders in Fort Liard but the news wasn't issued until late yesterday. Deh Cho land covers about 40 per cent of the 1,220-kilometre pipeline route. The Deh Cho last September filed two lawsuits against the federal government, demanding more power in the pipeline regulatory review and threatening to stall the process. Imperial Oil Ltd., the pipeline's main backer, said the potential Deh Cho deal is "encouraging." "Anything that helps to remove elements of uncertainty facing the project is welcome," said Hart Searle, an Imperial Oil spokesman.

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	5/31/2005 10:56:31 AM
From: Dennis Roth	Respond to of 570

Dehcho agreement not done deal: Norwegian Last updated May 31 2005 08:27 AM CDT CBC News north.cbc.ca YELLOWKNIFE – The grand chief of the Dehcho First Nations is downplaying the conditional approval Dehcho chiefs gave to an agreement that will settle the pipeline lawsuits with Ottawa. Herb Norwegian is calling the conditional approval misleading, saying a signed agreement is still far away. The Dehcho chiefs met last week in Fort Liard and passed two resolutions on the lawsuits. One establishes a working group to deal with a $15 million payment from Ottawa for economic development. The second resolution says the agreement addresses Dehcho participation in the environmental and regulatory review of the pipeline, the issue that prompted the Dehcho to start legal action last fall. But the chiefs don't want to give up their right to sue the federal government in the future. Norwegian says other details of the agreement won't be made available until it's signed. "They're going to hear a lot of good juicy stuff once we've reached an agreement and at the same time we have to make sure there's some content to it and that people are actually going to feel good about it," he says. "We're not talking about selling out our people at this point. I think the main principle is to continue to stand firm and make sure that our agenda is catered to." Norwegian says the federal government still has to review the agreement. He says he can't predict when an agreement will be signed.

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	7/11/2005 3:38:27 PM
From: Dennis Roth	Respond to of 570

Ottawa, Deh Cho settle lawsuit threatening to delay Mackenzie pipeline Bob Weber Canadian Press July 11, 2005 canada.com (CP) - The federal government and a northern aboriginal group have reached an out-of-court settlement on a lawsuit that threatened to block a proposed $7-billion Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline. "With this agreement, Canada's discussion with the Deh Cho First Nations on land, resources and governance are back on track and will proceed with renewed vigour - and in turn generate greater certainty in the Mackenzie Valley," Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott said in a release Monday. The deal gives the Deh Cho both greater influence in the environmental oversight of the pipeline and $15 million in economic development funding. It does not, however, mean that talks are over. The Deh Cho and Ottawa will now resume land claim and self-government negotiations the lawsuit had derailed. Energy companies seeking to operate on land claimed by the Deh Cho will still have to work out a deal. "We still have some very difficult negotiations ahead with the oil companies that want to access our lands," said Grand Chief Herb Norwegian. The 4,500 members of the Deh Cho, the only major aboriginal group in the Northwest Territories that hasn't signed onto the project, cover virtually the entire southwest corner of the N.W.T. Forty per cent of the pipeline's planned route would cross land they claim. The lawsuit was filed more than a year ago over concerns the environmental review panel for the pipeline project didn't have adequate representation from the Deh Cho. The statement of claim asked the court to grant an injunction stopping the pipeline review until the Deh Cho were included in the review process, or else declare any decision reached by the review panel invalid. The lawsuit was seen as one of the factors that caused Imperial Oil to cancel preparatory engineering work it had scheduled for this summer. A settlement had been said to be close for months. © The Canadian Press 2005

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	7/12/2005 10:30:04 AM
From: Dennis Roth	Respond to of 570

Mackenzie Pipeline Clears One Lawsuit, but Real Challenges Ahead By Bob Weber 11 Jul 2005 at 09:37 PM EDT resourceinvestor.com OTTAWA (CP) -- The federal government and a northern aboriginal group have reached an out-of-court settlement on a lawsuit that threatened to block a proposed C$7-billion Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline. But the deal with the Deh Cho First Nations only means negotiators can now turn to more contentious problems facing the pipeline, which is seen as crucial to economic development in the Western Arctic. Access and benefits agreements for aboriginal groups along the pipeline's right-of-way must still be reached. So must the Deh Cho's self-government and land claim package. For now, though, leaders were happy to celebrate a bit of good news on the pipeline after months of complications and roadblocks. ''Canada's discussion with the Deh Cho First Nations on land, resources and governance are back on track and will proceed with renewed vigour _ and in turn generate greater certainty in the Mackenzie Valley,'' Indian Affairs Minister Andy Scott said in a release Monday. ''This is a fair agreement which addresses some of our most urgent concerns about the pipeline project,'' said Deh Cho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian in the same release. The Deh Cho have won greater influence in environmental oversight of the pipeline, C$15 million over five years in economic development funding and another C$16.5 million to finance negotiations and participation in the pipeline review. They did not win, as they were seeking, a veto over parts of the pipeline in their claimed territory. ''There's no provision for a veto in the agreement,'' said federal negotiator Tim Christian. Instead, Deh Cho representatives will now join the regulatory process already established, said Christian. The deal proposes a Deh Cho Resource Management Authority, but the scope and powers of such a board will be fleshed out during land claim talks, said Deh Cho negotiator Chris Reid. The parties remain far apart over what the board should do. ''We would characterize (the deal) as a small step forward in ongoing negotiations,'' Reid said. Ottawa has promised to consult the Deh Cho on new energy exploration. It has also promised to act on withdrawing land that has been identified as having special environmental or cultural value. As well, it has agreed to implement a land-use plan for the area. In addition to withdrawing two lawsuits, the Deh Cho have also promised not to file any new ones over similar concerns for the next seven years. ''It's an encouraging step,'' said Hart Searle, spokesman for pipeline proponent Imperial Oil. ''It's helpful in that it removes an element of uncertainty.'' Imperial is still working through what the deal means, said Searle. The Deh Cho lawsuits were one factor in Imperial's decision to cancel preparatory engineering work it had scheduled for this summer. A bigger factor, however, were the access and benefits agreements. ''(It) affects all the regions,'' Searle said. ''(It) affects our ability to have access to the land to put the pipeline in the ground, so that's the pivotal one.'' Ottawa is currently mulling over a proposal from the Northwest Territories and other aboriginal groups for a C$100-million annual fund to cover the pipeline's social impacts and pay for services such as housing and education. Once a deal is reached, pipeline proponents then must reach their own access and benefits agreements with the various aboriginal groups. ''(This agreement) does not mean that the (Deh Cho First Nations) support the pipeline,'' said Norwegian. ''We still have some very difficult negotiations ahead with the oil companies that want to access our lands.'' The 4,500 members of the Deh Cho, the only major aboriginal group in the Northwest Territories that hasn't signed onto the project, cover virtually the entire southwest corner of the territory. Forty per cent of the pipeline's planned route would cross land they claim. The lawsuit was filed last fall over concerns the environmental review panel for the pipeline project didn't have adequate representation from the Deh Cho. The statement of claim asked the court to grant an injunction stopping the pipeline review until the Deh Cho were included in the review process, or else declare any decision reached by the review panel invalid.

To: Dennis Roth who wrote (41)	11/21/2005 12:19:22 PM
From: Dennis Roth	Respond to of 570

'No pay, no play,' say Dene The Edmonton Journal Sunday, November 20, 2005 canada.com Excerpt: A $31.5-million out-of-court settlement in July of a Deh Cho lawsuit against federal and Northwest Territories agencies did not soften Dene resistance to harming northern land and water, he said. "Our people have been very hard line," Norwegian said. "We've never said whether we're for or against the pipeline." The 13 Dene and Metis communities in the 200,000-square-kilometre Deh Cho region haven't been converted into gas industry supporters by a federal promise of $500 million for northern native aid or Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan's pledge Nov. 17 of up to $2.8 billion in project assistance. "If they travel through, they need to pay access fees and benefits to communities, and we need to be able to levy taxes," Norwegian said. "Edmonton may be the gateway to the North, but the Deh Cho is the Kuwait of the North."