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ENERGY: First annual report on safe development of coalbed methane released

            (AlbertaIndex, June 29, Friday) --- The Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Committee (MAC) has released the first of its annual progress reports on recommendations made to the Alberta government to help ensure the safe and responsible development of coalbed methane in the province.

            The Alberta government said the report includes all actions up to March 31, 2007 and shows that progress on the committee’s recommendations is ahead of the originally anticipated timelines. The committee was established in 2003 as part of an extensive review on rules and regulations surrounding coalbed methane.
           
“This government is committed to keeping Albertans up to date on the future of coalbed methane,” said Mel Knight, Minister of Energy. “The MAC process ensures we are taking the necessary steps to develop this abundant resource responsibly.”
            The original committee report was released in May 2006 after consultation with Albertans.
            Of the 42 accepted recommendations, the government said it has made progress on 36.  Much of the work undertaken in the first year focused on higher priority issues related to water protection, including enhanced groundwater mapping and a new regulatory framework for water diversion.
            Five of the recommendations have already been completed, such as the development of best practices guidelines for coalbed methane development.  Another five recommendations are scheduled to begin after the first year.
            Coalbed methane is a promising energy resource for Alberta. Recent estimates peg coalbed methane potential at up to 500 trillion cubic feet, roughly double the remaining conventional gas in place. Yet coalbed methane is still largely untapped, contributing only about one per cent of the province's total gas production in 2006.
            At the end of 2006, there were 10,723 coalbed methane wells drilled in Alberta; 6,905 of which produced coalbed methane. In 2006, coalbed methane wells produced 167 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
            “Alberta has one of the strongest regulatory frameworks in the world. The work of the MAC will ensure that coalbed methane development will progress under the most stringent guidelines,’ said Knight.


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