Another Shot Across the Bow?…EnCana in Colorado with Chinese Drillers?

First the Chinese want to buy a second-rate oil company like Unocal to test US willingness to participate in true world economic interdependence or see if the US will get protectionist.

Now, it seems another test is on the horizon…

Canadian oil giant EnCana is considering bringing in Chinese companies to construct and operate drilling rigs in the Colorado Rockies, as the region struggles to keep up with demand and rising energy prices.

EnCana, a major player in the Piceance Basin of western Colorado, said Chinese labor is cheap and the workers are well-educated. The move would be scrutinized in Washington, where politicians are uneasy about allowing Chinese workers to acquire access to U.S.-based oil and gas facilities.

More after the jump at The Oil Drum.