Alberta’s era of abundant natural gas coming to an end

EDMONTON – Age is overtaking the top money earner that paid off the provincial deficit and fuelled budget surpluses as energy prices rose since 1999.

After more than half a century of growth as the Canadian supply mainstay Alberta natural gas production has peaked and entered a decline that will continue no matter how much drilling is done, the province’s industry watchdog agency says.

In its latest annual reserves report, the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board said it “has concluded that natural gas production in the province peaked in 2001.”

Despite vigorous field activity in 2005 and most of last year, “natural gas production in 2007 is expected to decline by 2.2 per cent compared with 2006.”

Edmonton Journal