Special Report: St. John Ambulance sounds alarm over fraudulent tickets /Page10 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
PIPELINENEWSNORTH.CA
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH VOL. 7 ISSUE 11 DIST: 16,000
SERVING THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY IN NORTHERN B.C. AND ALBERTA
FREE!
inside the life of a sniffer dog /16 Canada may have ushered in a new government in October, but industry is stepping up to work with the country’s new prime minister. Indeed, there is a lot on the table, as Woodfibre LNG clears a major hurdle, Plateau forges ahead on its expansion plans, and ARC Resources looks to pump millions into its Montney holdings. Meanwhile, Blueberry River signs an agreement over the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project, which has received its final permits, and a Terrace author recalls the 2008 Encana pipeline bombings near Dawson Creek in a new fantasy novel.
R001697746
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015 R0031152861
2
55th Annual Fort St. John Petroleum Association Oilmen’s Bonspiel
Thank you to all the Teams and Sponsors of the 55th AnnuAl ForT ST. John PeTroleum ASSociATion oilmen’S BonSPiel See You There!
nov. 11-14, 2015
LOOK FOR THE WINNERS OF THE 55th ANNUAL FSJ PETROLEUM ASSOCIATION OILMEN’S BONSPIEL IN THE DECEMBER ISSUE!
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
3
BRONWYN SCOTT photo
PREPARING FOR AN EMERGENCY: Fire, sirens, traffic control and emergency personnel were all on scene in Taylor for a mock emergency exercise that put first responders’ skills to the test on Oct. 15. Members of the Taylor Industrial Mutual Aid Group (TIMAG)—which includes the District of Taylor, Spectra Energy, Pembina Pipeline, Alliance Pipeline, Canfor, AltaGas, RCMP, and the BC Ambulance Service—were all on site, as well as other agencies who would respond in the event of catastrophe. The B.C. Oil and Gas Commission, School District 60, BC Hydro, CN Rail and more were all part of the mock scenario. Above, Alan Clay of the Oil and Gas Commission led local media through the staged exercises. TIMAG meets every two months to discuss issues in the community between its members.
PNN
NUMBERS
The following figures were taken from the stories in this issue of Pipeline News North.
$1.74 million: The amount that B.C.’s oil and gas land tender pulled in on Nov. 4. Story on Page 5.
70,000: The number of pounds North America’s largest boom picker can lift. Story on Page 14.
3.6: The magnitude of earthquake reported near Sikanni Chief. Story on Page 27.
$1.8 billion: The price of the Woodfibre LNG project. Story on Page 6.
2,590: The number of transport truck drivers needed in Northeast B.C. by 2014. Story on Page 18.
$100 million: The investment ARC Resources says it will put into its Montney holdings. Story on Page 29.
$400,000: The combined value of donations made by Shell and TransCanada to Northern Light College. Story on Page 19.
49,500: The number of people employed in forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas in October. Story on Page 31.
125: The expected turnout at a forum series planned by the Northeast B.C. Resource Municipalities Coalition later this month. Story on Page 8.
120: Length in kilometres of the proposed Plateau pipeline. Story on Page 20.
4
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Woodfibre LNG clears 6 one hurdle, more remain
Resource Coalition to launch 8 forum series FortisBC pipeline key for 9 Woodfibre LNG
pnn 10
23 First Nations tribunal win corrects 75-year-old mistake
20
70 tonnes of custom-made 14 steel in TCL’s hands Inside the life of an 16 oil patch sniffer dog
Transport drivers needed, 18 labour report says
Look for PNN on FB: pipelinenewsnorth
20 Public gets peek at Plateau’s proposed expansion 22 Blueberry Rivers signs agreement over PRGT project
St. John’s Ambulance sounds 10 alarm on first aid fraud Oilmen’s Bonspiel kicks off 12 in Fort St. John
19 Shell, transcanada step up support for college
25 Industry willing to work with Trudeau 26 Author recalls pipeline bombings 29 ARC Resources to grow its MONTNEY HOLDINGS 31 PRGT gets final permits
26
Look for PNN on Twitter @PipelineNN
Published monthly by Glacier Ventures International Corp. Pipeline News North is politically independent and a member of the B.C. Press Council. The Pipeline News North retains sole copyright of advertising, news stories and photography produced by staff. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent of the editor.
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
the charts
#oilsands
Land sales still struggling
B.C. pulls in $1.74M in November, down from $209M in 2014 Jonny Wakefield Staff Writer
The B.C. government auctioned off $1.74 million in oil and gas parcels at its November land sale, continuing a weak year for provincial oil and gas revenues. Land sales have been consistently low in 2015 following a collapse in oil prices, leading to diminished appetite for exploration. Compared to 2014, this year’s land sale results are anemic. Last November saw $209 million in drilling licence sales, with eight parcels totaling 28,800 hectares. That month, the average price sat at $7,267 per hectare. This November: five parcels, $666 per hectare, 2,622 hectares.
Total sales this year sit at around $11.84 million compared to $383 million in 2014. The best year in recent history for land sales was 2008, when oil and gas leases added $2.4 billion to the provincial treasury. The previous low came in 1982-83, with just $17 million. The licences provide the exclusive right to drill for gas on a given parcel, and are issued for terms of three, four or five years. They are considered an economic indicator for future exploration activities. The market for drilling licences in Alberta remains soft as well. The province sold $2.47 million in its recent land sale—reportedly the lowest collected from a single sale since 1995. reporter@dcdn.ca
5
6
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
fb.com/pipelinenewsnorth
PNN MISSION STATEMENT Our mission at Pipeline News North is to provide the most current, interesting, and relevant news and information about the oil and gas industry in Northeast B.C. and Northwest Alberta. Have an interesting story to share or a news lead? Email us at editor@ahnfsj.ca.
William Julian Regional Manager 250-785-5631 wjulian@ pipelinenewsnorth.ca
Matt PREPROST Managing Editor 250-785-5631 C: 250-271-0724 editor@ ahnfsj.ca
Woodfibre LNG clears one hurdle, but faces many more Mike Carter Ryan Wallace ADVERTISING MANAGER 250-785-5631 c: 250-261-1143 rwallace@ ahnfsj.ca
ROB MONahan Sales ASSOCIATE 250-785-5631 c: 250-794-2683 rmonahan@ ahnfsj.ca
CONTACT US Phone (250) 785-5631 Fax (250) 785-3522
www.pipelinenewsnorth.ca billing: Lisa Smith - Accounting Manager 250-562-2441 ext 352 Fax:250-960-2762 accounting@ pipelinenewsnorth.ca
Staff Writer
With a final investment decision yet to come, Woodfibre LNG Ltd.'s proposed export facility near Squamish was granted conditional environmental approval by the province's Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) on Oct. 26. The $1.8-billion facility would liquify natural gas drilled near Dawson Creek and export it to Asian markets at a rate of about 2.4 million tones per year, according to the EAO. The project will also require federal, provincial and local government permits to proceed, as well as environmental approval from the Canadian government. Twenty-five conditions were attached to the environmental certificate, including provisions to mitigate and monitor impacts to marine mammals during construction, a key concern of the Squamish Nation. The Squamish Nation, which had issued five conditions on the project this past summer, announced its approval Oct. 14. According to a government news release, Woodfibre LNG made a number of changes to the facility's design after consulting with the Squamish Nation, the District of Squamish, and the public.
These changes included reducing the construction area and land disturbance by making use of an existing industrial site, reducing underwater noise and vibration by shifting to a land based facility and limiting LNG carrier speeds to reduce the effects from wakes and the risks to marine mammals. Global LNG market faces oversupply The project has major implications for natural gas development in the Peace Region, and its success relies on Canada's ability to carve out a place in the increasingly competitive market for liquefied natural gas exports. Woodfibre also has implications for the Site C dam. It would run off the BC Hydro grid, instead of its own gas, creating massive electricity demand. According to BC Hydro, the Woodfibre plant, LNG Canada and an upgraded Tilbury project in Delta would generate enough demand to justify Site C. The global LNG market is in a state of oversupply, with several countries competing for the Asian market, according to the research firm Wood MacKenzie.
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
7
An aerial photo of the Woodfibre LNG site near Squamish.
Compounding the problem is the fact that as a new wave of supply will be coming online just as China's demand growth has begun to decline, Wood MacKenzie's expert Noel Tomnay told the Daily Oil Bulletin. LNG production in the United States has also driven the price of natural gas down over the last six years. However, projects like Woodfibre—and the pipelines that get the gas supply there—are good news for gas stranded in Northeast B.C. According to the Daily Oil Bulletin, areas north of Fort Nelson in the Horn River Basin contain around 450 trillion cubic feet of natural gas that is on hold because of supply growth south of the border. Wood MacKenzie says the Asian market for new LNG will not grow until 2022, but says that could be pushed back to 2025 depending on the amount of new supply that comes online. Canadian gas exports have been falling for the last eight years, reaching 10.4 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in 2007, but dropping to 7.4 bcf/d in 2015. Exports are expected to continue declining without new LNG exports. The Bulletin described the Canadian gas industry as being "caught in the crossfire as global giants fight for export markets." Continued on Pg. 8
R001622840
8
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
engagement
Resource Coalition launches public forum series Bronwyn Scott Staff Writer
The Northeast B.C. Resource Municipalities’ Coalition is renewing its commitment to ensure responsible resource development and healthy community growth with a public forum series that kicks off Nov. 25. The event, to be held at the Pomeroy Hotel in Fort St. John, is the first of a three-part forum series entitled Empowering Community Voices in Resource Development. The state of global economies and resource development, the status of current LNG and pipeline projects, and economic growth projections and impacts are just a few of the planned discussion topics. Keynote speaker Charles Jago, former president of University of Northern B.C. and past chair of the Fraser Basin Council, will speak on the relationship between local communities and the role they play in long-term resource development. Another speaker, from the BC LNG Alliance, will provide expertise on the subject of natural gas. A series of panels will address re-
The Northeast B.C. Resource Municipalities Coalition once made up all the communities in Northeast B.C. Now, it just counts Fort St. John, Taylor and the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality as members. lated subjects, and organizations including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the Ministry of Natural Gas Development will be given an opportunity to outline what their roles and functions are in resource development. “It’s an opportune time for an update on what the current state of the industry (is)... for information to be available to the local communities, to the business community, the lo-
cal citizens about what is going to be happening with the economy over the next number of years,” said Colin Griffith, executive director of the coalition. The purpose of the forums is to provide an opportunity to local citizens and the business community to discuss their view of the challenges and opportunities going forward with resource development in Northeast B.C, he explained. “We’ll also have a lot of indus-
try and government people at the forum to provide updates on what their role is, and what they’re doing currently, what some of the planning is,” said Griffith. The coalition is currently made up of Fort St. John, the District of Taylor and the Northern Rockies Resource Municipality, as well as honorary member Senator Richard Neufeld. Although Dawson Creek, Tumbler Ridge, Chetwynd, and Pouce Coupe were once part of the coalition and stepped away, each will be given personal invitations to attend. “We hope that there’s a great turnout, and certainly they’re all more than welcome to attend and participate,” Griffith said. Although coalition membership was restricted to municipalities when it was first conceived, it is now open to electoral area directors. “They’re all welcome,” Griffith said. Organizers anticipate a turnout of 125 participants. More information can be found on the NEBC Resource Municipalities Coalition website. Future forums in the series will be held in Taylor in April, and in the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality in September. peacereporter@ahnfsj.ca
Squamish skeptical about Woodfibre's local benefits From Page 5 Mayor Patricia Heintzman told the Squamish Chief that she had yet to see the details of the conditions of the environmental certificate. She said her council would take a close look at the conditions to ensure their concerns were addressed. Byng Giraud, vice president of corporate affairs for Woodfibre, estimates that the project, located on the shores of Howe Sound about seven kilometres from downtown Squamish, will bring $83.7 million in tax revenue for all three levels of government during the construction phase, and an estimated $86.5 million in tax revenue to all three levels of government during each year of operation. Heintzman has her reservations about those tax benefits. "We don't see that as permanent tax revenue," she said in a September interview.
MIKE CARTER PHOTO
Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman and councillors look on as staff at Dawson Creek's water reclamation facility give a tour in September.
Heintzman and her council toured the Peace Region that month on a fracking fact finding mission, after an invitation from Dawson Creek city council. "It's not sustainable funding, just like your Fair Share isn't sustainable funding," she said. Heinztman also took aim at the company's projections for jobs. According to Giraud, Woodfibre estimates more than 650 jobs per year will be created by the project, along with 1,080 indirect jobs during the construction phase. "(Woodfibre) is an Indonesian company exporting to China," Heintzman said. "For us, there are not a huge amount of jobs with the facility. There are maybe 100 jobs locally and maybe 15 are going to be people who live in Squamish now." dcreporter@dcdn.ca
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
9
pipelines
FortisBC pipeline key for Woodfibre LNG
Mike Carter Staff Writer
The Woodfibre LNG export facility that would take gas from Northeast B.C. and export it to Asian markets inched forward this week—but the project's fate remains in limbo. While the project received tentative approval from the province this week, the wait continues for a key pipeline that would unlock trillions of cubic feet of gas currently cut off from market. Key among them is the Eagle Mountain pipeline proposed by FortisBC, which will provide the natural gas to Woodfibre via a 52-kilometre loop of an existing pipeline through Coquitlam to Squamish. A compressor station associated with that line has drawn the ire of residents in Squamish, according to the district's Mayor Patricia Heintzman. "It's close to neighborhoods and people are concerned that there is a gas-fired compressor station near (them)," Heintzman told Pipeline News North. The Eagle Mountain pipeline is still moving through the environmental assessment process, with FortisBC yet to submit its final proposal to the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office. That proposal is not expected until next year, at which point a final investment decision form Woodfibre could reasonably be expected. Jobs For communities in the Peace, the benefits of LNG export facilities like Woodfibre are obvious: a market for the natural gas being produced here. As far as Heintzman is concerned, jobs and potentially significant tax revenue are the carrot at the end of the stick for the municipality.
But how much of each are on the way is anybody's guess at the moment. "We've seen anywhere from 120, to 100, to 80 jobs," Heinztman said. On tax revenue, the town council has heard anywhere from "between $2- and $20-million." The district's own estimates put the tax revenue at somewhere between $4- and $7-million. "We've got some negotiating to do," Heintzman said regarding tax revenue. Byng Giraud, vice president of corporate affairs with Woodfibre LNG, wrote in a letter to the Alaska Highway News, that there would be at least 100 full-time jobs during operations, and another 330-plus local jobs in indirect and induced employment stemming from the project. "The fact of the matter is when we have markets for our natural resources like natural gas, it means plenty of good paying jobs for British Columbians in the places where those natural resources are extracted like in B.C.'s Northeast; in the communities where they are processed like Squamish; and, throughout the transportation network," he wrote. But a caveat for Heintzman is that, of these hundreds of jobs, not many would be filled by locals. "There is not a lot of (local) jobs. You have to get this in perspective," she said. "They'll bring (workers) in from other jurisdictions because we simply just don't have that skilled labour here." Heintzman estimated probably about seven to 15 bookkeeping or maintenance jobs for locals would result from the project, adding "It's not a huge job creator." However, she said, "there are always spin-off jobs. It's hard to determine. But actual long-term (local) jobs is just a handful."
bronwyn scott photo
DITMARSIA TO PICK UP VACANT CITY LOTS: The City of Fort St. John is planning to sell off two vacant parcels of land along the East Bypass Road to Ditmarsia Holdings for $42,000, it was announced in early November. The lots, at 9108 and 9112 73rd Street, are not serviced.
R0011074743
Toll Free: 1.855.4ENFORM (436.3676) Phone: 250.785.6009
dcreporter@dcdn.ca
Email: bc@enform.ca www.enformbc.ca
Enform Pipeline News 4.645x6.429.indd 1
2015-01-13 4:18 PM
10
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
safety
First aid
Fraud
St. John Ambulance sounds alarm over fraudulent tickets bronwyn scott photo
Angela Laczo, branch manager at the St. John Ambulance Training Centre in Fort St. John, is concerned about fraudulent first aid certificates that are coming out of Dawson Creek.
Bronwyn Scott Staff Writer
A St. John Ambulance official is raising the alarm over fraudulent first aid certificates that appear to have been issued by a non-existent branch in Dawson Creek. In recent months, Angela Laczo, branch manager at the St. John Ambulance Training Centre in Fort St. John, has run into three examples of false first aid tickets. All of the tickets appear to have been issued in fall of 2014 in Dawson Creek. “Dawson Creek is not an approved venue for a St. John Ambulance course,” Laczo said in an interview with Pipeline News North. “We don’t have a branch in Dawson Creek, and the students that are holding these certificates have informed their employers that they took a course in Dawson Creek. “This affects a lot of people. They’re out of time, they’re out of money, and they are not certified; they’re not qualified on certain jobs. So the employer is left hanging going, ‘OK, now what?’” Laczo has tried to speak with the students to gain more information about the course they claim to have taken, but has thus far only been able to speak with their employers. She has opened a file with the Dawson Creek
“This affects a lot of people. they’re out of time, they’re out of money, and they are not certified; they’re not qualified on certain jobs. So the employer is left hanging going, ‘OK, now what?’ ” RCMP, who is looking into the matter. But the biggest thing for Laczo is the danger of having someone who believes they’re qualified to respond to an emergency who is, in fact, not able to respond appropriately. “If they’re going into a medic-type position, then they don’t have the training or the experience to be able to help somebody that is injured,” she said. “A lot of employers, they just require (employees) to have a level one first aid ticket and an H2S ticket, for employment needs. But with that still, again, they’re not properly trained to attend to somebody that is injured.” IPAC Services Corporation in Fort St. John has had two recent incidents where employees believed they were qualified to perform first aid, but whose certificates turned out to be fake. “We do have instances where people, they go and pay somebody to make them a ticket, and they know that they’re getting a false ticket, and that’s a different situation,” said Nicole Brugger, senior human resources co-ordinator with IPAC Services. “But we have these two gentlemen in particular
who say they took a course in Dawson Creek and they were led to believe that it was a legitimate course.” One of these employees believed he had an entry-level first aid certificate, and the other held an Emergency Medical Responder ticket. “That’s typically a two-week course, and this gentleman did it in a day,” said Brugger. That, in addition to the fact that the format wasn’t in the usual St. John Ambulance style, was a red flag. “Whenever we see irregularities in the ticket, we call the St. John Ambulance offices to verify the validity of them,” she said. “We actually see false tickets more often than we would like to, so it’s not something completely out of the ordinary for us. But, what was out of the ordinary was these guys were oblivious to the fact that they weren’t real.” The employees in question weren’t hired into first aid positions. All IPAC Services’ field staff must have first aid training, Brugger said. peacereporter@ahnfsj.ca
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
R0011095311
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
11
12
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
55th annual oilmen’s bonspiel Teams slid into the Fort St. John Curling Club for the start of the 55th annual Oilmen’s Bonspiel on Nov. 11. (Top) Ted Pimm of Pimm’s Prodcution Equipment slides calmly down the ice in the first end of their game at the Oilmen’s Bonspiel. (Left) A team from Ryason Contracting tries to sweep a rock into place during their opening round matchup at the 55th Annual Oilmen’s Bonspiel. Byron Hackett Photos
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
13
oilmen’s
byron Hackett photo
Blain Alexander readies to throw a stone in the first end of his Fraction Energy Services matchup against KMPG.
byron Hackett photo
Darrell Horst and Brad Moskalyk hurry hard down the ice at the Fort St. John Curling Club. They took on Fraction Energy Services in their first game of the Bonspiel.
r0011136920
14
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
investments
bronwyn scott Photo
Staff at Trans Carrier Limited with their new toy, North America's largest articulating crane. From left: Richard Mytopher, lift supervisor, Lorne Little, Sales manager, Tyler Kosick, general manager, Brian Mortler, shop manager, Dustin Hill, transportation manager and Mike Nielsen, construction manager.
70 tonnes of custom-made steel Largest boom picker in North America finds a home in the Peace Bronwyn Scott Staff Writer
Trans Carrier Limited has a new toy it's proud to show off. In October, the company came into possession of a Cormach 230-tonne articulating crane on a Kenworth C500 chassis. “It’s equivalent to probably about a 70-tonne stiff boom crane, it’ll lift right around 14,000 pounds at 75 feet of reach,” said Dustin Hill, TCL's transportation manager. It’s the largest articulating crane in North America and good for “lifting anything that needs to be lifted,” said Hill. As an articulating crane, it has a knuckle midway for enhanced maneuverability.
Outside of its outriggers, which are the supporting legs that wing out to keep the unit stable, it can lift 70,000 pounds, Hill explained. While the new unit to the TCL fleet gives the company a leg up over its competition, it’s not clear yet how much it will be used to its full ability. “It’ll get a lot of use. I mean obviously the need for something this big isn’t that common,” Hill said. “We’re a little unsure if it’ll get used to its full capacity all the time . . . but it’s good to be the company that has it when it is needed.“ For General Manager Tyler Kosick, it was a smart purchase. “Potentially, the outlook of the industry in our area is relatively promising, and a lot of the items that are coming in
are heavier, and they have further setback distances that we have to reach to,” he said. “This unit, it’ll handle a greater weight at a further distance for us.” TCL bought the custom made unit, built in 2013, second hand out of central Alberta. “To replace this unit and build it nowadays with all the exchange rates and the inflation, we figure it would be around $1 million to $1.1 million,” Kosick told Pipeline News North. Operators of the machine have to be specially trained. TCL has three staffers who can use it. peacereporter@ahnfsj.ca
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
“They worked with us. They believed in us.” – Boomer and Judy Desjarlais, Top Notch Oilfield Contracting
We’re here when you need us with competitive rates on equipment financing. Up to 100% available. Talk to us today.
It’s your life. Build it here.
15
16
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
bronwyn scott photo
Mike Friesen and his two-year-old sniffer dog Commander. "I don't allow (people) to pet him while he's working. But when he's done and we're standing around chatting? Sure, they can pet him."
Canines combat contraband
Inside the life of an oil patch sniffer dog
Jonny Wakefield Staff Writer
W
hen Commander shows up at a worksite in Northeast B.C., some line up to pet him. Others start scanning the job ads. Commander, a high-energy, two-year-old German Shepherd, enjoys treats, going for walks—and sniffing for drugs. He's one of a handful of detection dogs searching vehicles, worker camps and drilling sites in the B.C. oil patch. "He's focused, he isn't intimidated by lots of people and activity," said Mike Friesen, his handler. "I don't allow (people) to pet him while he's working. But when he's done and we're standing around chatting? Sure, they can pet him." The presence of sniffer dogs in the oil patch is relatively new, and not without controversy.
But handlers say work sites are safer because of them. The use of detection dogs to weed out contraband in the oil patch came into vogue around 2008, according to handler Grant McCulloch. "The heads of security of a lot of oil companies will meet once a month, and if one guy has a program—'what are you doing in your camp for narcotics detection?' 'Well we use dogs.' 'Oh, who are you using?' “It's just word of mouth," McCulloch said. When McCulloch retired after 28 years with the RCMP—including 22 in the police dog service—his phone started ringing. "Different oil companies were starting up drug detection programs, canine narcotic detection
programs," he said. "It was just crazy busy for five years until everything started to slow down in April." Those five years included a lengthy stint working for the drilling company Nexen in Fort Nelson. Unlike other jobs, Nexen kept McCulloch and Alex Mann, another former RCMP member, on site for lengthy periods of time. “After awhile, the guys got to know you, they knew you were fair, they knew you weren’t on a witch hunt,” Mann said. “When we went in with the dog, it was quick and clean. It’s five or six seconds that the dog is in the room. The dog goes in, goes ‘nothing here, Dad,’ and that was it. We’re not going through drawers or emptying bags, going through your personal stuff.
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
17
feature story
supplied PHOTO
Grant McCulloch with his sniffer dogs Jett (left) and Ben (right) at a Nexen Energy site several years ago.
“A lot of times service dogs don’t live an overly-glamorous life like a pet would. You’re dealing with a high-energy work asset. You have to treat him like a business asset before you treat him like a pet.”
"We're not there to get anyone fired, we're there on the safety side of things," he said. At those Nexen sites, "we just did not have a drug problem," McCulloch said. Sites where dogs weren't present were a different story. "Ninety-five per cent of what we do is deterrence, the other five per cent is enforcement— finding some dope and removing that guy from site," McCulloch said. "You can't underestimate the deterrence factor." While many handlers are former officers, Friesen went into drug detection as a side business. Friesen is owner of MC Rehabilitation and Wellness, which offers drug and alcohol testing, as well as other workplace health and safety services. He's now the only Fort St. John-based handler of detection dogs. He learned the trade at Pacific Coast K9, a kennel in Washington State. From there, the Justice Institute of B.C. requires annual certification tests, where a handler puts his or her dog through the paces. At the kennel, Friesen was paired with Commander. He trained with eight dogs, including labs, retrievers, shepherds and spaniels, all of which are considered good candidates for detection work. Friesen grew up with shepherds, and decided Commander was the best fit. There's debate in the industry over the use of "floppy-eared" dogs versus "pointy-eared" dogs like shepherds, which some maintain are intimidating. While he worked with shepherds in the RCMP, McCulloch now uses two floppy-eared dogs, Jett
and Sarge. Mann also used a retired RCMP shepherd, but now opts for floppy ears, which seem to put some people at ease. Friesen has heard the arguments before, but doesn't buy them, saying it comes down to temperament and training. "(Commander) has pointy ears, he's very alert, but if you let him sniff you, he'll lick your face off," he said. Regardless of temperament, some are wary of the increased use of sniffer dogs. The B.C. Civil Liberties Association has taken on cases related to sniffer dogs in schools and airports, as well as a mass termination at a "dry" worker camp where employees were found with booze. As an officer, McCulloch regularly gave evidence in court cases, and said some courtroom experience comes in handy in his current job. "Oil companies and lawyers love that because liability is always an issue when you're conducting searches," he said. "You're not doing it under the federal statutes—no one gets arrested or anything like that—but they're violating company policy by bringing narcotics into camp." Most searches are conducted on day one, when a worker gets off a plane or arrives in camp. Employees found with contraband are usually put right back on the bus and sent home. However, some companies run periodic searches of rooms, vehicles and worksites. Those searches can take hours, and in the summer, Friesen will put a vest loaded with ice packs
on Commander to keep him cool. "Eventually a dog will burn out," he said. "When they're sniffing, they're hyperventilating. If you were to stand in one spot for 20 minutes and hyperventilate, you would just pass out." When a dog smells something, its body language changes, followed by a "sit confirmation" near the source. "Then we... call the guy and his supervisor and say 'you know what, there may be something in your room here, I think you need to come back and we'll have a look,'" McCulloch said. n
n
n
n
The relationship between dog and handler is complex—a combination of pet and coworker. Commander lives at home with Friesen, who has two young girls. That meant finding a dog that is both good with kids and good at finding drugs. "A lot of times service dogs don't live an overlyglamorous life like a pet would," he said, saying too much playtime can dull Commander's enthusiasm for work. "You're dealing with a high-energy work asset. You have to treat him like a business asset before you treat him like a pet." For McCulloch, the bonds that develop between dog and master vary. "I had more of a bond with the three police dogs I worked with for 15 years because they're out there catching bad guys and saving your life. It's not the same with these guys, but you still spend an awful lot of time with them, and you get attached." reporter@dcdn.ca
18
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
william stodalka photos
FINDING THEIR FIT: Bert Bowes Middle School students crowded their gymnasium Oct. 27 to take a look at what future careers they may one day find themselves in. WorkBC, a provincial organization part of the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training, held its Find Your Fit at Peace Region schools. At left, Jeremy Lariviere tries his hand at a game simulating a heavy crane operator workstation. At right, Oyan Elg and Peter McAtie handle an electrician station.
Transport truck drivers needed in the Northeast: labour report Mike Carter Staff Writer
Transport truck drivers will be among the most in-demand employees in northern B.C. over the next nine years, according to WorkBC's latest labour market outlook released Nov. 6. By 2024, the report says 57,900 job openings are expected overall in the Northeast, North Coast and Nechako regions. Based on the government’s projections, jobs with the largest number of openings from now until 2024 in the region include transport truck drivers (2,590), retail and wholesale trade managers (1,490), early childhood educators and assistants (1,370), janitors, caretakers, and building superin-
R001697743
tendents (1,320), and elementary school and kindergarten teachers (1,020). The report also shows that the Northeast has the youngest population across all regions of the province. The 10 occupations forecast to grow the fastest in the region are: • supervisors in mineral and metal processing • senior government managers and officials • labourers in mineral and metal processing • hotel and accommodation service managers • receptionists
• government program officers • authors, writers and journalists • telecommunications line and cable workers • purchasing agents and officers • casino-related occupations The five industries forecast to expand the fastest: primary metal manufacturing with an annual average employment growth trend of 3.1 per cent; amusement gambling and recreation (two per cent); telecommunications (1.9 per cent); local municipal and regional public administration (1.9 per cent); and accommodation services (1.9 per cent). dcreporter@dcdn.ca
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
19
education
Industry dollars keep flowing in for trades training centre Shell, TransCanada donations help push Northern Lights College closer to $30M target Mike Carter Staff Writer
Northern Lights College's proposed trades training centre for the Dawson Creek campus continues to rake in donations from major oil and gas companies operating in the region. Both Shell Canada and TransCanada are the latest contributors, donating a combined $400,000 to the project in October. Shell announced its $150,000 contribution on Nov. 2, w hile TransCanada announced its $250,000 contribution on Oct. 22. This news comes on the heels of Encana Corp.'s $300,000 donation in early October. "We look forward to developing and building this asset for many years to come and will need the locally trained skilled workforce that
this facility can provide to us and our contractors," Wouter de Klien, operations manager for Shell Greater Groundbirch, said in a statement. NLC president and CEO Dr. Bryn Kulmatycki said he valued the support of industry partners. "Shell Canada is one of the college's biggest supporters and we are thankful for the support this donation will bring," he said. "It will help greatly towards the construction of a proposed trades training centre." TransCanada’s donation will go towards new welding booths for the proposed centre and student bursaries to increase access to trades training and skills development programs. TransCanada’s donation from its Coastal GasLink Pipeline and Prince Rupert Gas Transmission projects is part of the company’s Pathway to Pipeline Readiness Program. The
program is focused on helping to build northern B.C.’s skilled labour force, and to grow workers’ transferable skills. “Through our work with local residents, community leaders and Aboriginal groups, we know that investing in skills development is important to northern British Columbians,” said Kristine Delkus, TransCanada’s executive vice president of stakeholder relations. Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier added the province is investing $185 million in new infrastructure and equipment to support trades and skills training. NLC offers two intakes each year for Foundation Trades programs in September and February with various start dates for its apprenticeship programs. Shell's Greater Groundbirch facility includes water and fluid handling facilities, and two main gas processing complexes. Shell currently has two active drilling rigs, 1000-plus kilometres of pipeline and over 420 wells. Production at Greater Ground-
birch for 2015 is expected to be over 410 million cubic feet of raw gas per day. The proposed new trades training building came into the conversation after B.C.'s Minister of Advanced Education Andrew Wilkinson visited the Dawson Creek campus in July. "The facilities that exist now in Dawson Creek were built post-World War Two," he said during that visit. "They are old, they are deficient in terms of power supply (for training equipment). Some of our large equipment is unable to take the power supply with the current wiring." The buildings formed a portion of Canada's Distant Early Warning radar system during the Cold War. In the wake of significant private investment, funding from his ministry has yet to be announced. The Northeast is critical to the province, Wilkinson said. "We need to make sure that we've got skilled people out there who can continue to contribute to that." dcreporter@dcdn.ca
Funding available for construction sector employers
supplied Photo
The B.C. government and LNG Canada announced two complementary funding programs on Oct. 15 that will help employees in the construction sector upgrade their skills. The LNG Canada Trades Training Fund was created as a resource for employers, who are now able to apply for funding for their current and future employees. The new fund will provide $1 million to employers in B.C. in support of industry and apprenticeship training in the construction sector. The B.C. Construction Association will administer the funds. Additionally, companies in the construction
sector can apply for the Canada-B.C. Job Grant (CJG), which will provide $500,000 for employee training that occurs before April 1, 2016. Under this grant, government pays for twothirds of training costs for an employee up to $10,000, while the employer is responsible for the remaining one-third of training costs. Details on the LNG Canada Trades Training Fund are available on the BCCA website at www. bccassn.com and on the LNG Canada website, www.lngcanada.ca. For information on CJG eligibility and application procedures, visit http://www.workbc.ca/ canadabcjobgrant. —PNN R001697755
20
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
engagement Open house gives public a peek at Plateau pipeline expansion
Bronwyn Scott
Staff Writer
About 30 affected what’s going on. It landowners and intergives you an opporested residents spent tunity to talk to these the evening of Oct. 21 people that are in the milling around inforknow,” said Cowger. mation booths learnIt’s the second open ing about the prohouse that’s been posed Plateau Pipeline hosted for the project. that, if approved, The first was orgawould stretch from nized by Pembina, and Wonowon to Taylor. took place in June. Plateau, a subThis second open sidiary of Pembina bronwyn scott photo house was required as Pipeline Corpora- Kim Reinbolt and Margrit Henning take a look at a map of the proposed Plateau pipeline expansion part of the project's tion, intends to build on Oct. 21 in Fort St. John. environmental assessa 120-kilometre, 12ment. inch line that will carry “This is a public batches of natural gas liquids and condensate to slightly so that it didn’t impact the residents or comment period on what’s called the value comPembina’s existing Taylor facility. wasn’t in such close proximity,” explained Ma- ponent selection process,” explained Ricardo ToThe Environmental Assessment Office open cIntyre. ledo, project assessment manager with the Envihouse, held at the Pomeroy Hotel in Fort St. John, Pembina has responded to those concerns ronmental Assessment Office. was designed to review the potentially significant and re-routed the line. Value components are the factors that are valissues and impacts from the project’s construc“We’ve done that a number of times actually . . ued by the community and stakeholders, such tion and operation. . our route now is representative of the route that as First Nations and local governments that will “We’re inviting the public, landowners, stake- has been changed as a result of all of that feed- be subject to study for potential effects resulting holders, and anybody that wants to provide some back,” MacIntyre said. from the project. input on what we plan on studying as part of the Landowner Martin Moore, whose property is Pembina has now submitted those value comenvironmental assessment process to provide us five miles northwest of town, is in support of the ponents to the Environmental Assessment Ofwith comments so we can incorporate that into project. The line will run through his property. fice, and information about them has been postour activities, and that will help inform our work “It’s a pipeline, we’ve got a whole bunch of ed online. and make it a better process,” said Brent Ma- them already, so it’s no big deal,” he said.. “We’ve invited the public to comment during cIntyre, project manager. “Apparently it’s going to be done in the win- this first public comment period,” Toledo said. Pembina has been working on plans for the tertime. Pembina, we’ve dealt with them before “Any member of the public can submit compipeline with the environmental assessment a few times, and they hire good contractors and ments on the documents, and those comments office since February. the work is always done to our satisfaction.” are posted publicly and the proponent is reWhile many of the affected landowners are Moore said he’s never had any environmental quired to respond to those comments.” open to having the pipeline run through their worries about the lines that go through his land. To submit concerns or comments, visit www. property, the big concern Pembina has heard is Landowner Paul Cowger, whose land the eao.gov.bc.ca and select Northeast British Coabout the pipeline’s route. project will run through, is also in favour. lumbia Expansion Project, with the subheading “The landowners and residents are familiar The open house, for him, was a welcome ‘Plateau Pipeline,’ from the list of projects. with pipeline activity, but what we have heard function. is that . . . they would just rather it was shifted “You’re not sitting at home wondering about peacereporter@ahnfsj.ca
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
21
THE BIGGEST THING WE MOVE IS TIME
At Mammoet, we provide solutions for lifting,
It’s an integrated, daily effort shared by everyone
transporting, installing and decommissioning
at Mammoet.
large and heavy structures.
That’s how we move time for our customers.
We could talk for hours about the equipment we use,
So time isn’t set in concrete. Or forged in steel.
and about how sophisticated and powerful it is.
It’s not even all that heavy.
But all that power means nothing without a plan.
And yet, it’s the biggest thing we can move for you.
In fact, we believe our business isn’t about size. It’s about: time.
For more information please call Sales Account
Uptime. Turnaround time. Time to market.
Manager, Bruce Margetts at 604-817-0022 or
To our customers, time is the currency that
780-449-0552.
matters most. That’s why we strive to bring their
Discover more on www.mammoet.com
deadlines forward. R0011143412
Pipeline News North Mockup V2 2015 11 04.indd 1
11/9/2015 2:25:07 PM
22
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Blueberry River signs pipeline agreement
WILLIAM STODALKA FILE photo
Blueberry River Chief Marvin Yahey. William Stodalka Staff Writer
R001919620
The Blueberry River First Nations have signed an agreement with TransCanada over the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission project. While the specific terms of the agreement remain confidential, it includes access to employment and contracts, and initial and annual payments to Blueberry for the life of the project. "We believe the pipeline project will benefit our members today and for future generations, both financially and in terms of employment for our members," said Chief Marvin Yahey. "The relationship we have established with TransCanada is just as important as the agreement, and we are confident that the relationship
we have built will continue to the benefit of both parties for years to come." Project President Tony Palmer said the agreement was an “important milestone” for the pipeline. "We want to ensure we have (First Nations) input on environmental and cultural impacts and that they benefit from the construction and operation of the PRGT pipeline project," Palmer said. Davis Sheremata, a TransCanada spokesman, said the company received final permits from the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission Oct. 27, meaning it has full regulatory approval for the construction and operation of the project. “We engaged with the recognized leadership of First Nations across the PRGT pipeline route at a very early stage of the process and we strongly
believe it is the only way to go if you want to build and keep a good relationship,” said Sheremata. The company has also signed project agreements with ten other First Nations. Two of those, Doig River and Halfway River, are in Northeast B.C. However, not all First Nations support the measure. The Luutkudziiwus, a group within the Gitxsan Nation in B.C., filed a legal challenge against the project on Oct. 14. Blueberry River had put forward a motion for a judicial review of the government’s decision to approve another project that would supply gas to the pipeline, but that was dismissed last August. reporter@ahnfsj.ca
Vehicle Rentals Sales Leasing
250•787•0634 R001947431
9415–100 Avenue, Fort St. John www.drivingforce.ca
R001681295
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
23
first nations
Chief Norman Davis
first nations celebrate tribunal decision over mineral rights Jonny Wakefield Staff Writer
The Blueberry River and Doig River First Nations have won a decades old legal battle over access to oil and gas beneath their reserves. On Nov. 5, the Specific Claims Tribunal found the Canadian government breached its obligations to the First Nations when it botched a 1948 land swap aimed at making way for returning World War Two veterans. Canada’s failure to secure mineral rights for the bands—as well as the fact it didn’t tell them about the mistake for a quarter century—left them without access to the wealth below their feet and threatened their way of life. “This claim addressed the final link in a chain of events that happened nearly 75 years ago, inspired decades of litigation and established important legal precedent in the legal domain of Crown-Aboriginal relations,” Justice W.L. Whalen writes in the decision. “The facts of the case are among the more considered in Canadian jurisprudence. The issues before the Tribunal focus on the final chapters of that story.” “For our nation, it’s really a big win. The minerals should have come with the band from our old (reserve) lands,” said Doig River Chief Norman Davis. “It was good news for the nation.” While the ruling doesn’t transfer oil and gas rights to the nations, it does entitle them to compensation. The tribunal is able to award claims up to $150 million, though an exact amount has not been decided upon.
The case goes back to 1900 and the signing of Treaty 8, which promised reserve land to the Fort St. John Beaver Band and other Dunne-za Cree nations (Doig and Blueberry were members of the Beaver Band, but became separate nations in 1977). According to the Nov. 5 ruling, the band was given 18,168 acres of prime agricultural land in 1916. The land was located close to growing non-aboriginal settlements and was called the Montney Reserve. But farmland was only so useful to the band members, who were semi-nomadic hunters and trappers. Beaver Band members spent little time on reserve, instead “preferring to pursue their traditional ways in the more isolated wilderness to the north of the reserve.” By 1945, the band and the federal government were at a crossroads. Canada had promised land and housing to returning World War Two veterans, and in search of quality land, the Director of the Veterans’ Land Act (DVLA) contacted the Department of Indian Affairs about the Montney Reserve. In September 1945, Indian Affairs and the Beaver Band agreed to surrender the reserve in exchange for $70,000 and a promise to find new reserve land, and in 1948 the Montney reserve was handed over. Indian Affairs, meanwhile, purchased new reserve lands for the First Nation from the province. The lands cost $4,932.50, were one-third the size of the Montney Reserve, and were bought with the proceeds from the Montney Reserve sale. All this resurfaced with the ’70s oil boom.
In 1976, petroleum was discovered on the former Montney Reserve lands. Had the First Nations still held the lands and the mineral rights, it would have been a windfall. Instead, the federal government had agreed to sell or lease the Montney Reserve mineral rights in 1940. In 1948, “by means which to this day remain the subject of debate,” the ruling states, the mineral rights were transferred to the DVLA and the land’s new owners. The discovery of oil made a handful of veterans and an exploration company rich. In 1977, the bands discovered their new lands hadn’t come with subsurface rights. The right to drill for oil and gas, it turned out, had belonged Texaco Exploration Company since 1950. Canada thought it had picked up the mineral rights for the Beaver Band in the ‘40s, but hadn’t done its homework. The province, by law, held onto the subsurface rights on any Crown land sold, even to the federal government. “Through failure to investigate, Canada did not appreciate this at the time,” Whalen writes in the ruling. Even though the government discovered its mistake in 1952, the nations didn’t find out what happened for 25 years, and only then when a lawyer want through the titles on both the Montney and new reserves. “This was how the bands first discovered that subsurface rights in the Montney reserve had been sold,” Whalen writes. “The dual revelations (about the Montney rights and the subsurface rights on the new reserves) occurred some 33 years after the transfer and approximately 25
years after Canada discovered what had happened. There is no evidence that it informed or consulted the band in any way.” Blueberry River launched a lawsuit on the surrender of the Montney Reserve mineral rights in 1977, which made its way to the Supreme Court of Canada and resulted in a $147 million settlement for lost revenues. In the latest case, the bands argued the Crown failed in its fiduciary duty under the Indian Act to obtain subsurface rights in the reserve swap. Federal government lawyers countered that those duties “did not include an obligation to obtain subsurface rights.” The claims go beyond lost income. The ruling notes that since the nations did not control the fossil fuels beneath them, they had little say in the ensuing resource development. When the bands OK’d the new reserves, they did so with trapping, hunting and growing hay for horses in mind. Oil and gas disrupted that. “How much hunting, trapping and haying could be done if oil or other kinds of mining operations were active and moving around the reserves?” Whalen notes. “None of this is consistent with the band’s use of the land.” For Davis, the latest ruling finally corrects the mistake. “Hearing back from the elders, they mention how come the mineral rights didn’t come over with the band,” said Davis. “There was lots of talk in the past, even a few years back. (Mineral rights) should have come with the lands.” reporter@dcdn.ca
24
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Follow the Leader.
This is the game we like to call “Follow the Leader”. Ram 1500 is powerful enough to tow 9,200 lbs and delivers up to 29 miles per gallon highway which is Best-in-Class. With more people driving Ram Trucks more than ever before, we’ve built quite the following.
2015 RAM $ 1500
starting at
21,695
See Dealer for complete details.
FORT CITY
www.fortcitychrysler.ca
250-787-5220 1-877-787-5220 8424 Alaska Road Fort St John
R001697748
Guts. Glory. Ram.
Zimmer will keep LNG on new government’s radar Matt Preprost Staff Writer
His party may have been thrown out of power on Oct. 19, but Peace Region MP Bob Zimmer says he’ll make sure new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau knows about the importance of LNG to this corner of the country. While it remains to be seen what influence Zimmer will have as an opposition MP -- he was of only 99 Conservative MPs re-elected on Oct. 19 as the Liberals surged to a 184seat majority -- his first priority is ensuring the Trudeau government supports opening new markets for B.C.’s natural gas. For an MP who grew up in the oil patch in the wake of Pierre Trudeau’s National Energy Program, there is some irony in working with a Trudeau on energy policy. Still, Zimmer was confident he could help keep liquefied natural gas on the
government’s radar. “It’s going to be the one key thing I go back to Ottawa with, and make sure they’re on the same page as we were,” he said. “I think it’s going to take a bit of convincing, but...I think they understand LNG has huge potential for us in Canada. I’m confident they’ll see it that way too.” It will be the first time in nine years that an MP from Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies has sat in opposition. And though Zimmer won his seat by a wide margin, he lost some ground. With turnout up 13.8 per cent, more voters than ever cast ballots for Zimmer, who increased his vote total from 24,348 to 27,236. However, Zimmer fell nine points in the popular vote, pulling in 52.6 per cent. —with files from Jonny Wakefield editor@ahnfsj.ca
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
25
industry
new prime minister, new relationship Industry willing to work with Trudeau William Stodalka
Staff Writer
Regulations surrounding natural gas could be changed by October’s federal election results, but industry organizations say they are willing to work with Justin Trudeau’s new government. Before the election, the Liberals told the Financial Post they would “launch an immediate, public review of Canada’s current environmental assessment process.” Based on this review, they would replace the Conservative Party’s changes to the process with a new process that they said would restore “robust oversight” and ensure decisions are made on “science, facts, and evidence.” This could also mean a change to some LNG tax breaks proposed by the Conservative government last February. “We are fully committed to ending fossil fuel subsidies over the medium term, a commitment made by Ste-
phen Harper (in 2009),” Liberal Party spokesman Cameron Ahmad told the Vancouver Sun last July. Asked if that means the LNG tax break is ultimately on the chopping block, he replied: “LNG is a fossil fuel, and as we have said, we will prioritize based on emissions impact, which is why we will start with the Canadian exploration expenses deduction.” Art Jarvis, the head of Energy Services B.C., a local advocacy group representing oil and gas service companies, was personally picking up Bob Zimmer re-election signs on the morning of Oct. 20. He said he was “disappointed” in the Liberal majority win, but that he thought the area was “going to be OK.” “If you listen to Justin’s platform, he didn’t talk negatively about pipelines or oil and gas,” said Jarvis. “With the amount of money that Justin wants to give away…he’s got to find out where (these tax dollars) come from, and oil and gas is a huge
contributor to this nation.” Jarvis said he felt that the election could have been a lot worse for the area. He felt that an NDP victory would have been a “disaster” for the region. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers said they would “work constructively with the Liberal government to advance initiatives that are important for our industry and Canadians.” “These include enhanced market access by all means in all directions; maintaining a timely, efficient regulatory and environmental review processes; engaging with aboriginal communities on industry-wide issues; and balanced and realistic solutions to address climate change,” the organization wrote via email. Another company, Encana, echoed these sentiments. “Our company and our industry are committed to working with governments of all political stripes to ensure that Canada continues to benefit from its oil and natural gas industry,”
company spokesman Doug McIntyre wrote in an email. In terms of specific companies, one large company may not benefit from this new government. The Liberals promised a moratorium on oil tanker traffic along B.C.’s northern coast. This would effectively kill Enbridge’s Northern Gateway project, since it relies on these types of tankers. Part of the proposed pipeline is routed south of Tumbler Ridge. “We’re not going to speculate on any future platforms or how they’re going to develop this soon after the election,” said Graham White, an Enbridge spokesman. “Less than 24 hours it’s not the time to see how their platform policy might evolve now that they’re going to form the government." Nevertheless, White congratulated Trudeau’s government. “We’re confident they’ll serve their consitutents.” reporter@ahnfsj.ca
26
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Author recalls pipeline bombings seven years on Jonny Wakefield Staff Writer
Josh Massey
R001697732
Josh Massey and a coworker were driving a company truck down a forestry road when they heard a voice over the CB radio. "We're driving out at the end of the day and basically hear a threat letter being read over a channel," said Massey, 36, seven years later from his home in Terrace. "We're like 'what the hell did we just hear?'" It was Massey's closest brush with the Encana bombings, the series of largely-unexplained attacks on oil and gas facilities that rocked Northeast B.C. between October 2008 and July 2009. The saga became grist for The Plotline Bomber of Innisfree, Massey's third novel, published this month. The “fable,” as Massey calls it, is set in a fictionalized version of Northeast B.C. during the 2030s. It follows Jeffery Inkster, “an exhipster-turned-elk farmer” who is implicated in a series of pipeline bombings. Laced with pseudonyms (the Peace Region becomes Enderbee County; Alberta, Cowberta; Encana, Gasbro; Dawson Creek, Byzantium), Innisfree is a “non-linear and experimental” novel that’s plenty weird. In that sense, the book fits the times that inspired it. “It was a close brush with something crazy going on in the woods,” Massey said of his experience in Dawson Creek. “As a creative person, that inspired me later on.” Massey worked as a forestry technician in the Peace Country between 2007 and 2008. “I was doing a lot of silviculture surveys, which was really sort of idyllic work out in regenerating forest cut blocks,” he said. “It was such a peaceful, wonderful job.” That work put Massey in and around Tomslake, the epicentre of the bombings. Threat letters like the one read over the CB radio were delivered to the Dawson Creek Daily News office, among other places. The first bomb, discovered by a hunter on Oct. 11, left a two-metre
crater beneath a pipeline in the South Peace. Bombs at two other sites caused small leaks in pipelines on Oct. 16 and 31. The RCMP deployed an anti-terrorism unit to Dawson Creek, while reporters from across the country were dispatched to the region. Suddenly, Massey’s life became a lot less peaceful. After hearing the letter threatening oil and gas companies, Massey recalls a climate of suspicion settling over the region. One day, while working in the woods, a woman in a truck pulled up and demanded he identify himself. “She looks at our truck and says ‘okay, you’re legit, but just so you know, a bomb went off a few kilometres away from here.’ “It’s a chilly feeling,” he goes on. “There’s this chill that goes over society, and there’s this feeling that the worst fears of the community are coming true. It kind of feels like fiction.” Massey now lives on the north coast, where he is a reporter for the Terrace Standard. He finds the northwest “chiller, but with the same massive influence of these mega-projects. Anywhere you go in the north, that tension is palpable, but in the northeast it’s years advanced.” “There’s some really original art going on (in the Peace),” he added. “I think it’s an example of when there are some tensions, great art is produced.” Massey said his publisher hopes to distribute some of the books in the Peace Region. At least one man, Wiebo Ludwig, was arrested in the case. He was later released without changes and died soon after. In a five-year retrospective on the bombings in the Globe and Mail, then-detachment commander Milo MacDonald said the issue had blown over. “I think that the community has moved on,” he said. “We don’t hear about it any more that often.” reporter@dcdn.ca
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
27
odds & ends
The epicentre of a Nov. 3 earthquake.
Another earthquake rumbles north of Fort St. John Jonny Wakefield Staff Writer
Earthquakes Canada seismologists recorded a 3.6 magnitude shake about 147 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John on Nov. 3. The quake occurred around 5:40 a.m. on Nov. 3 near Sikanni Chief. The B.C. Oil and Gas Commission does not yet know whether the event is related to hydraulic fracturing, but noted "there was some industry activity in the area, with hydraulic fracturing operations wrapping up."
Drillers are required to cease activities if they trigger a quake greater than 4.0 magnitude. According to an Earthquakes Canada seismologist, a 3.6 earthquake can be felt at the surface, however, the agency had not received any reports from people who felt the shake as of 9:30 a.m. One person living in camp near Sikanni Chief reported feeling the shake in an email to Pipeline News North. An OGC study found fracking caused 11 earthquakes in the Montney Basin between August 2013 and October 2014 that could be felt on the surface.
A 4.5 magnitude quake in August touched off new debate over so-called induced seismicity events in hydraulic fracturing. That month, it was also revealed Progress Energy drillers had caused a 4.4 magnitude quake in 2014—one of the largest induced seismicity events on record. A report from the rightleaning Fraser Institute argues that, compared to mining and conventional oil and gas extraction, "the magnitudes and incidences of earthquakes caused by hydraulic fracturing are quite minimal." reporter@dcdn.ca
28
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
R001642861
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
29
investments
ARC Resources to grow 2016 gas production 5% in Dawson area
Jonny Wakefield Staff Writer
ARC resources plans to grow its natural gas production in the Montney shale in 2016 as part of a $550 million capital spending plan. The upstream oil and gas company will invest $100 million in its Montney holdings, according to a release Nov. 4. According to the Calgary Herald, the company budgeted $1.04 billion in capital spending last year. ARC was the first major Calgary company to announce its 2016 plan. The company posted a $235 million loss in the third-quarter. "In 2016, we expect to deliver approximately five per cent annual production growth relative to 2015 levels, set the stage for continued development at Dawson in 2017 and beyond, and continue to pay a meaningful dividend to our shareholders," the release states. Also on the docket is $90 million in infrastructure spending "to proceed with plans for the new gas processing and liquids handling facility at Dawson." That facility, expected on-stream in late
2017, will have a gas processing capacity of 90 million cubic feet (MMcf ) per day and 7,500 barrels per day of liquids-handling capacity. "Gas production is expected to ramp up over the fourth quarter of 2017, however liquids production will be below capacity until wells with higher liquids-content are drilled," the release states. Of 77 planned wells, nine liquids-rich wells are planned in the Dawson, Parkland, Attachie and Pouce Coupe gas fields. Another 14 are planned for the Dawson and Sunrise areas. Fifty-two wells will be crude oil wells. The company is banking on $55 per barrel oil and $2.50 per gigajoule of natural gas. Unlike some upstream companies in Northeast B.C., drilling is not tied to a specific liquefied natural gas project. Seventy-five per cent of ARC's capacity goes to the AECO hub in southern Alberta, 20 per cent to Station 2 south of Fort St. John, and around five per cent to the Alliance pipeline system. reporter@dcdn.ca
Of 77 planned wells, nine liquids-rich wells are planned in the Dawson, Parkland, Attachie and Pouce Coupe gas fields. Another 14 are planned for the Dawson and Sunrise areas. Fifty-two wells will be crude oil wells.
2015-16 SCHEDULE PUBLICATION DATE
BOOKING DEADLINE
AD COPY DEADLINE
13 NOV 2015
10 NOV 2015
12 NOV 2015
11 DEC 2015
9 DEC 2015
10 DEC 2015
15 JAN 2016
13 JAN 2016
14 JAN 2016
12 FEB 2016
10 FEB 2016
11 FEB 2016
11 MAR 2016
9 MAR 2016
10 MAR 2016
15 APR 2016
13 APR 2016
14 APR 2016
13 MAY 2016
11 MAY 2016
12 MAY 2016
17 JUNE 2016
15 JUNE 2016
16 JUNE 2016
15 JULY 2016
13 JULY 2016
14 JULY 2016
19 AUG 2016
17 AUG 2016
18 AUG 2016
16 SEP 2016
14 SEP 2016
15 SEP 2016
14 OCT 2016
12 OCT 2016
13 OCT 2016
R004424355
30
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
TransCanada aims to reroute pipeline amid Aboriginal concerns
Employment Opportunity – Fort St. John, BC Financial Consultant
Jonny Wakefield
North Peace Savings and Credit Union is recruiting for a Financial Consultant to join our retail service team. The Financial Consultant is responsible for performing a wide variety of duties providing advice, and on-going sales and service to members and potential members by actively promoting a full range of deposit, investment and lending vehicles. Reporting to the Regional Manager Sales and Service, the Financial Consultant will champion an assigned portfolio and complete the sales of a full range of deposit and lending products and services by identifying and pursuing relationship building opportunities within the existing portfolio, through referrals and active business development. This position will be required to champion NPSCU’s sales and service culture by participating in branch campaigns, promotions, establishing member and potential member relationships and business contacts and assist peers in resolving complex questions and inquiries. The Financial Consultant must maintain a high degree of accuracy and complete confidentiality. If you are a financial services professional with excellent sales and service skills, the ability to work independently with confidence and strong commitment to member service and are passionate about building lasting relationships, please submit cover letter and resume to: Olivia Young, Human Resources Specialist North Peace Savings and Credit Union 10344-100th St.,Fort St. John, BC, V1J 3Z1 Fax: 250-787-9191 or E-mail: careers@npscu.ca For a complete role description, visit: www.npscu.ca North Peace Savings thanks all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
It’s your life. Build it here.
R0011145826
Staff Writer
TransCanada is applying to reroute a portion of its Coastal Gaslink Connector, a natural gas pipeline that would run from Dawson Creek to Kitimat. Faced with concerns over water quality in the Morice River in northwest B.C., TransCanada has asked for permission to shift 55 kilometres of the line around five kilometres north. According to a press release, the reroute is being considered after concerns from the Wet’suwet’en First Nation. While the First Nation has signed a benefits agreement with TransCanada, the pipeline has been blockaded by the Unist'ot'en, a subset of the Wet’suwet’en. In a TransCanada release in August, chiefs of theWet’suwet’en took issue with "recent media coverage that represents the Unist'ot'en as speaking for their nations." The new route has been previously logged, the company said. Rerouting will require amendments to the project's Environmental Assessment Office certificate, as well as Oil and Gas Commission operating permits. "We are confident both routes could be built, and both options reflect TransCanada’s high standards and commitment to safety and environmental protection," a spokesperson wrote in a statement to Pipeline News North. "We’ll decide on a final route after we’ve completed the regulatory process, and fully assessed both options." reporter@dcdn.ca
Northern British Columbia and Alberta’s Oil and Gas Industry MBER
R/NOVE
OCTOBE
N PIPELI EW
PIPELINEN
VOL. 5
ISSUE
T: 10 DIS
H S NORT
E NEW
.CA SNORTH
G THE SERVIN
TRY IN
S INDUS
OIL & GA
16,000
Full Page 6 col x 180 ag (9.448” x 12.857”)
FREE!
ERTA
. AND ALB
ERN B.C
NORTH
2013
IN THIS
ISSUE
RGY BC ENE NCE RE CONfE NETT BILL BEN S DELIVER
half Page horizontal 6 col x 90 ag (9.448” x 6.429”)
half Page vertical 3 col x 180 ag (4.645” x 12.857”)
Banner 6 col x 42 ag (9.448” x 3”) – 1/2 Banner (---) 3 col x 42 ag (4.645” x 3”)
“Pipeliner” 2 col x 32 ag (3.045” x 2.28”)
ACY
Y LITER
MO
ENERg
DINO GREAT RY E DISCOV
R VEMBE
LE B M U R g OIL RI
print & online exposure
Quarter Page vertical only 3 col x 90 ag (4.645” x 6.429”) 50
R0014242
ADVERTISING rates 2014 (colour included)
Back Page - $1800 Inside Back - $1300 Inside Front - $1300 Centre Spread - $2700 Full Page - $1100 Half Page - $700 Quarter Page - $450 Front Banner - $600 Banner (limited number) - $450 Half Banner - $300 Pipeliner - $150 DISCOUNTS: 1 year - 15%, 6 months - 10%
locations that suit your business needs • Distributed to the community in general through these fine publications, Alaska Highway News, Dawson Creek Daily and Fort Nelson News. • Distribution by mail and direct drop-off to Oil & Gas companies,and related businesses and organizations, in the following communities: British ColumBia – Arras, Baldonnel, Cecil Lake, Charlie Lake, CHETWYND, Clayhurst, DAWSON CREEK, Farmington, FORT NELSON, FORT ST. JOHN, Goodlow, Groundbirch, HUDSON’S HOPE, Moberley Lake, Pink Mountain, Pouce Coupe, Progress, Rolla, Rose Prairie, Sunset Prairie, Taylor, Tomslake, TUMBLER RIDGE, and Wonowon. alBerta – Baytree, Bear Canyon, BEAVERLODGE, Berwyn, Bezanson, Bonanza, CLAIRMONT, Eaglesham, FAIRVIEW, Falher, Girouxville, GRANDE PRAIRIE, Grimshaw, Grovedale, HIGH PRAIRIE, Hines Creek, Hythe, LaGlace, MANNING, McLennan, PEACE RIVER, Rycroft, SEXSMITH, Silver Valley, Spirit River, VALLEYVIEW, Wembley, and Worsley, Zama City. R004424352
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
PIPELINE NEWS NORTH •
31
Careers
Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline gets final permits Jonny Wakefield Staff Writer
TransCanada's Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) Line was issued Oil and Gas Commission operating permits Oct. 27, a milestone the company says is the project's "last major regulatory step." The pipeline would carry gas 900 kilometres from Hudson's Hope to Petronas's proposed Pacific NorthWest liquefied natural gas export facility on the coast. It is the last of 11 permits required to build and operate the pipeline, the company says. “Receiving the full complement of 11 pipeline and facility permits is a major milestone for the project and concludes an exhaustive regulatory process that we embarked on more than two years ago,” PRGT president Tony Palmer said
in a release. The proposed route faces opposition from the Lax Kw'alaams Band over its potential impacts on the Lelu Island salmon fishery, as well as a blockade and legal challenge from the Luutkudziiwus First Nation group in central B.C. The Petronas plant is widely considered the front-runner among B.C. LNG projects. However, the company has yet to make a final investment decision on the facility. The pipeline hinges on Pacific NorthWest LNG receiving approval under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, as well as a positive final investment decision. If and when those come down, TransCanada says it will begin clearing along the pipeline route, as well as for worker camps. reporter@dcdn.ca
Project Manager – Facilities Peace Wapiti Public School Division
Peace Wapiti Public School Division (PWSD) provides service to approximately 6,000 students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 in 32 schools, and is one of the largest employers in the Grande Prairie/Spirit River region. We invite applications for a:
Project Manager – Facilities
Reporting to the Director of Facilities, Central Office, Peace Wapiti Public School Division Qualifications: • Contribute in a primary function for planning, budgeting and other project management tasks. • Manage multiple projects, including providing direction to contractors. • Manage set-up of IMR programs, including roofing, flooring, millwork, site development, etc. • Conduct facility inspections including interior, exterior, site, and mechanical and electrical systems. • Control and monitor operating budget of assigned projects. • Excellent interpersonal skills for dealing with internal and external stakeholders.
Education and Experience: A degree in Architecture or Engineering would be an asset with a minimum of eight years’ experience in design, specification writing and supervision of construction projects, with a minimum of three years in a supervisory capacity. OR: Graduate of a recognized post-secondary school of technology with, or working toward, certification as a technologist in either Civil, Building Construction, Electrical, Mechanical or Architectural Technology. C.E.T. or R.E.T. designation is preferred. Minimum of ten years’ experience in design, preparation of drawings, specification writing and supervision of construction projects with a minimum of three years’ experience in a supervisory capacity.
Knowledge, Skills and Aptitudes: • Spreadsheet and other budgeting tools skills. • Equivalencies will be considered. • Drafting software skills preferred. • Alberta Educational Facilities Administrators Association (AEFAA), • Strong interpersonal, collaborative, and team skills. Certified Educational Facilities Manager (CEFM) is desirable. • Strong negotiation skills. • Skilled in both leadership and management. Effective: Position effective on a mutually agreed-upon date. • Strong project management skills. Salary: $85,000 - $110,000, based on education and experience. • Extensive knowledge of construction and maintenance Closing Date: November 16, 2015. regulations, codes, methods and procedures. • Excellent organizational and time management skills. For a more detailed job description, visit www.pwsd76.ab.ca. • Strong listening skills, patience when working with consultants To express your interest in this role, forward your cover letter and and contractors. resume, including three references to: • Concentration on accuracy of contract specifications and bid Human Resources, Peace Wapiti Public School Division documents. 8611A – 108 Street, Grande Prairie AB T8V-4C5 or • Ability to analyze and interpret various code requirements. Email: resumes@pwsd76.ab.ca PWSD provides a comprehensive benefit package designed to enhance your work and family life; including Life, Disability, Dental, Health and Vision Benefits, and a Registered Pension plan. A current criminal records check is a requirement of employment. This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
R0011136256
• PIPELINE NEWS NORTH
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
R0011106605
638 Acres of Land in Golata Creek
5 Acres in Charlie Lake
• 638 Acres of Farm or Ranch land on Golata Creek Rd. • Property has field, as well as treed areas • Perfect property for recreational or agricultural use • Call for more info.
• Fantastic 4.97 acre property, 10 minutes to Fort St. John • Perfect place to sit a modular home, or build your dream house • Close to all recreational amenities Charlie Lake has to offer • Easy commute to town • For more info www.century21.ca/Property/101079794
$324,900
$205,000
REDUCED Dawson Creek Shop
• 1815 sq. ft. steel frame shop • Reception area, office space, 3 piece washroom • 2 bay shop area suitable for aircraft and 1400 sq. ft. landing pad • Zoned aviation and priced to sell • For more info www.century21.ca/101026189
$229,000
1700+ Acre ranch with 2 houses
• Fantastic homestead, with 2 houses & 1700+ acres • Outbuildings include 44x80 shop, 50x90 tarp building, 60x80 lean to • 60x68 barn, with concrete floors • Property features a spring, and is powered by solar energy and generators • www.century21.ca/101091233
$2,950,000
Build your Mansion here
• 1/4 section of land, only 5 minutes to town • 60 acres of field & great views of the valley • New road access to property and many building sites • Lease revenue • For more info www.century21.ca/Property/101039068
$749,000 Commercial Space for Lease
• Brand new building with approx. 4700 sq. ft. available for lease • Impeccable exposure along 100 Ave, main road through town • Ample parking for business and customer needs • Dual access from front and back of building • For more info www.century21.ca/Property/101064369
$20.00/sq.ft.
SIGNATURE POINTE
Beautiful 116 Acres Bordering Hwy 97
• 4 bdrm home, 2 newly renovated baths • 116 acre property set up for hobby farm with riding arena • Several outbuildings including double headed garage, power & wood shed • Barn in place, plus 36x36 steel pilings in place for new barn • More info at www.century21.ca/Property/101072762
$549,000 FOR SALE OR LEASE
• 4500 sq ft, second floor deck and rear parking • 17 offices, 3 bths, 2 coffee rooms, and 2 reception rooms. • Long term tenant on one side of building • Call for more info.
$995,000
Quality for life
SHOW HOME HOURS
Thursday to Friday 4-7 PM, Saturday & Sunday 2-4 PM #101-11203 105 Ave, Fort St. John
For Immediate Showings Call 250-889-7099
This home features a bright and spacious interior and distinctive architectural detail, all situated in a perfect Fort St John location. Built by local craftsmen using locally-sourced materials, Signature Pointe is a truly unique offering. The building is surrounded by expansive green space with sociable picnic area, leisurely walkways with benches, a secure outside bike rack, drive-up access, ample visitor parking and community amenities, including exercise room, games room and meeting room. Several floor plans to choose from that feature a contemporary color scheme, radiant infloor heat, airy 9’ over-height ceilings, 2 parking stalls and storage locker.
Visit our virtual tour at www.signaturepointe.ca
New Condos Starting at $284,900
GST Included
R0011143906
32