Second try much better
First, we are very pleased that the TV program Découverte retracted its statement about Marianne Molgat. Ms. Molgat is a Quebecois single mother who worked her way through University in Hull to become a professional geologist. I know Marianne well and like the vast majority of professional geologists I know, she would never break the […]
The simple case for shale gas
Should Quebec continue to import 46 percent of its energy needs? Quebec is a resource-rich nation and has the expertise and the culture to develop its resources in line with sustainable development principles. Quebec is already one of Canada’s largest consumers of natural gas. Natural gas is up to 1,000 times cleaner than oil for […]
Billions or millions?
Water resources are our most precious resource and one we worry about in the natural gas industry. For this reason I was pleased to be invited to speak from the industry’s perspective at a Water Canada round table on water issues for the Great Lakes drainage basin. Very respectful discussion and I learned a lot. […]
Poland ahead of itself
I was invited to speak at the Shale Gas World Europe 2010 Conference in Warsaw, Poland about lessons from North America. It was a great conference but an open question as to whether Poland is a great shale play. On the positive side, there is a real interest in energy independence from Russia, for obvious […]
The real alternative energy
Thank you to Hélène Baril of La Presse for asking the right question in her article Monday: How do we reduce our need for coal in North America and the World? The answer was given by Pierre Gautier of Alstom right here in Montreal only a few days ago. He said Quebec cannot ignore this continental […]
Lucien Bouchard named Chairman of QOGA
I have never met Lucien Bouchard. Mr. Bouchard’s reputation is well known. He puts what is in Quebec’s interests first and has stood firm on that principle through both personal and political challenges. I did not know Andre Caillé either until after he became Chairman of QOGA almost two years ago. With a common cause […]
CQM up
Canadian Quantum’s stock went up following their recent announcement of diversifying to Alberta. In 2008 Alberta unilaterally changed its agreements with industry and increased its royalties as part of the Royalty Review. In effect an expropriation without compensation Sadly, local companies who were committed to Alberta were the ones that were hurt the most; the […]
fugitive emissions-seriously this time
Recently, there has been news about small methane emissions from wells in Quebec. Everything I see in Quebec indicates the system is working. Not that our or any system is perfect, but it appears to be working. Fugitive emissions are a routine issue and a continuous improvement area for the entire natural gas system, not […]
An unexpected guest
On Tuesday we had more than one unexpected guest attend our meeting with Saint Edouard land owners about our local project for Utica natural gas development. We were pleased our answers to challenges from the small group of professional protesters were received civilly and sometimes even constructively. It was still a disappointment for us and […]
Fugitive emissions from cows are in Quebec news
Nature Québec says they calculated that total emissions from three particular natural gas wells are the same as the methane emissions from 107 anonymous cows. Really? Not 106? Not 108? Did they take in to account the diet of the cow? University students drink a lot of beer, which is known to increase methane emissions. […]