The Québec mining industry is currently at the forefront of discussion, particularly in light of:* the publication of a study on the mineral industry cluster’s contribution to socio‑economic development in Québec, which occurred during the Mining Week (April 26th to May 2nd) organized by, among others, the Québec Mining Association and the Québec Mineral Exploration Association; a copy of this study is available on their website;(1)* the Fraser Institute A
by Ronald W. SchulerAccording to insiders, with regard to a Pennsylvania severance tax, Governor Corbett will be holding firm on “no state tax, no local fee,” although it is likely that the legislature will nevertheless offer up a “local impact assessment” bill ...
by Andrew B. McCallisterAs the West Virginia Legislature passes the midway point of the 2011 Regular Session, oil and gas issues remain hot topics with several bills having the potential to directly impact Marcellus Shale operators. Perhaps most significantly are two bills (SB 258/HB2878 and SB 424/HB 3042) that would substantially alter the current regulatory regime for Marcellus Shale permitting in West Virginia ...
by Allyn G. TurnerOn February 8, 2011, the EPA sent a draft copy of its plan for studying the impact of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water to the Science Advisory Board for review and comment. As proposed, EPA’s plan would involve a “cradle to the grave” study of the practice, from the impacts of the withdrawals of water used to fracture a well to the ultimate disposal of the frac water flowback ...
Pooling. This word is on the lips of almost every operator working in the Marcellus Shale. Depending on where you stand on the issue, pooling is either a necessity to allow for the efficient recovery of the resource or a dastardly scheme meant to allow big operators to run roughshod over small operators and small mineral owners ...
A overview of natural Gas Sector and a brief outline of Nigeria’s natural gas sector, including a general description of: natural gas reserves; natural gas production including the extent to which production is associated or non-associated natural gas; import and export of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) liquefaction and export facilities, and/or receiving and re-gasification facilities (“LNG facilities”); natural gas pipeline
Effective September 1, 2010, the Texas Railroad Commission issued new regulations for oil and gas operators related to inactive onshore wells and associated equipment pursuant to House Bill 22591 which dramatically changed requirements for extension of plugging obligations for inactive wells. Certain aspects of the regulations and the original law currently are under review, and amendments to HB 2259 are expected to be introduced in the current legislative session ...
Renewable energy in the form of utility scale wind and solar are best sited in the areas where the load profile is best - the solar belt for solar generation, and areas with high capacity factors for wind generation. The best areas for development of these resources are remote areas that lack access to transmission ...
The 2011 Session of the West Virginia Legislature promises to be one of the most interesting in the state's history. The passing of U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd in 2010 has led to a series of corresponding leadership changes in West Virginia's state and federal delegations. Further, perceived incongruities between state succession laws and West Virginia's Constitution have led interested parties to seek input and clarification from the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals ...
In the 2011 legislative session, Pennsylvania's new Republican governor, Tom Corbett, and its largely Republican legislature are likely to pick up where the last session left off with regard to Marcellus Shale issues ...
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) finalized reporting requirements for the petroleum and natural gas industry sector under its Mandatory Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) Reporting Rule, which are located in Subpart W of 40 C.F.R. Part 98 (“Subpart W”) on November 8, 2010 ...
In a move that indicates significant regulatory changes may be coming to deepwater operations, federal authorities are eyeing new rules curtailing venting of natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico ...
In line with the national long term program to improve the mining and energy sectors to support the development of the country, as well as to ensure that the supply of energy and mineral resources to the domestic market can be met, the Government of Indonesia has been working hard to expedite the process to issue new regulations in the mining and energy sectors ...
This paper discusses electricity sector developments in Alberta and British Columbia that continue to break new ground particularly in view of the recent prominence of renewable energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions issues and export market development initiatives for the export of electricity from clean or renewable sources.To read this paper, click here ...
On December 2, 2010, the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed leave to appeal from the Federal Court of Appeal's decision in Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation v. Enbridge Pipelines Inc., 2009 FCA 308. Lawson Lundell acted for the Respondent, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), and took an active role in successfully defending the appeal proceedings.Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation v. Enbridge Pipelines Inc ...
by Andrew B. McCallister, as published in IOGA of West Virginia newsletter, November 2010Over the past two years the Environmental and Safety Committee has spent considerable time monitoring and advocating IOGA members’ interests with respect to various state and federal efforts to create new regulations or modify existing regulations of oil and gas development activities ...
On October 15, 2010, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (“BOEMRE”) issued a final rule that makes mandatory and expands API RP 75, a voluntary industry standard initially promulgated in the 1990s, that addresses the management of safety and environmental risks associated with Outer Continental Shelf (“OCS”) operations and facilities ...
Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. and British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority v. Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, 2010 SCC 43 On October 28, 2010, the nine justices of Supreme Court of Canada issued a unanimous judgment in this appeal that confirmed the decision of the British Columbia Utilities Commission (the “Commission”) to accept the 2007 Electricity Purchase Agreement between BC Hydro and Rio Tinto Alcan Inc. for filing ...
Both British Columbia ("BC") and Alberta have long-held political cultures that nourish a sense of alienation from the traditional Canadian power centres in eastern Canada, which has in turned fostered strongly iconoclastic public policies on a range of issues. Coupled with significant differences in geography and geology, these iconoclastic tendencies have resulted in electricity polices that have in recent years dramatically diverged ...
On October 4, 2010, the British Columbia Oil and Gas Activities Act(1) (“OGAA”) came into force. The OGAA represents a significant change to the legal regime for oil and gas activities in British Columbia, and will have immediate consequences for conventional oil and gas producers, shale gas producers, and other operators of oil and gas facilities in the province ...
Pressure for change is building in the water sector. The industry is one of the country's largest energy users (it takes a lot of power to move and clean water) and reducing that use is an important step in meeting climate related targets. Concerns about the affordability of charges for some customers are increasing whilst European legislation is driving environmental standards up, protecting our vital resources but demanding ever increasing spending to do it ...
by M. Ann Bradley, as published in IOGA of West Virginia newsletter, October 2010 There appears to be an increasing trend among certain regulatory agencies to issue policies or guidance when a change in some regulated activity is needed or desired, rather than undertaking formal rule-making procedures to adopt such a change ...
OBVIOUSLY, AS REGARDS THE MINING INDUSTRY, QUÉBEC WILL NOT BE THE ONLY JURISDICTION IN WHICH ACTION IS EXPECTED AFTER THE SUMMER BREAK. WHILE THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION CONTINUES REVIEWING BILL 79 AMENDING THE MINING ACT (QUÉBEC)(1), OTTAWA IS NOT OUTDONE AS THE HOUSE OF COMONS MUST PROCEED WITH THE THIRD READING OF BILL C-300 (THE “BILL”) ENTITLED: CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY OF MINING, OIL AND GAS CORPORATIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ACT ...
