Is Canadian Political Pendulum Swinging Against BC's LNG Future?

摘要

British Columbia is making headway in adopting various regulatory reforms designed to ease the way for Royal Dutch Shell's massive LNG Canada terminal,in the process greasing the skids for more LNG export projects to come.But sources in the region are voicing concern about actions at the federal level they say could stymie those efforts.The Liberal government in Ottawa under Premier Justin Trudeau is pushing revisions to Canada's Environmental Assessment Act(EAA)that could,sources tell Energy Intelligence,make the review process so onerous and expensive that new LNG projects might never get off the ground.At the federal level,the regulatory regime has already been a”mixed bag-uneven in approach but not all negative,”said a longtime observer who has been close to the process.”I wouldn't say it's gone out of its way,but it has issued major approvals for LNG projects in a timely fashion.Woodflbre and LNG Canada went fairly smoothly,”he said.”But for future projects,the jury is still out.”Shell Canada took a final investment decision(FID)on the 14 million ton per year(1.8 billion cubic feet per day)LNG Canada last October and could decide to double capacity at the Kitimat,BC,project later mis year(NGW Apr.8’19).Meanwhile,the 2.1 million ton/yr(275 million cubic feet per day)Woodfibre LNG export project proposed for Vancouver Island may not be sanctioned for years.But neither faces the kind of scrutiny that would result from a makeover of the country's signature resource development law.