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SoyourefartherawayfromthemarketcoststoexplorearehigherintheNorthandthesizeoftheprizeforlackofabettertermislessthansomeotherglobalorCanadianjurisdictions.RonSumanikYukonGovernmentYukonfailstoattractoilandgasexplorersGovernmentsaysYukonhaslessresourcestoofferthanNWTIndustryOilGas20TuesdayJanuary212014ByMARYWALDENForthesecondtimerun-ningtheYukongovernmentscallforinterestfromtheoilandgasexplorationindustryhasgoneunheeded.Twiceayearcompaniescanaskforareastobeopenedtoexploration.ButthelatestJan.8deadlinecameandwentandnotasinglerequestforpost-ingswassubmitted.ThatsnotoutofthenormsaidoilandgasbranchdirectorRonSumanik.Therehavebeenotherdryspellssincetheterritorytookcontrolofitsonshorere-sourceshesaid.ItsnotaneasyplacetodobusinessandcomparedtoitsneighboursliketheNWTtheYukonhaslesstoofferintermsofesti-matedoilandgaspotential.Soyourefartherawayfromthemarketcoststoex-plorearehigherintheNorthandthesizeoftheprizeInourviewthereisnotamoratoriumSumaniksaid.WehavetheabilitytomakeoilandgasresourcesavailableintheportionoftheKaskatraditionalterri-torythatlieswithinYukon.Atthispoint-sincewere-movedrepealedthesection13consentprovision-wehavechosennottoexer-cisethat.BoththePeelPlateauandBonnetPlumebasinsarealsocurrentlyoutofplay.Theyvebeenclosedtoindustrysince2010toallowthegovernmentandFirstNationstocom-pletealanduseplanforthewatershed.TheresstillnonalplanandthebanwasduetoexpireJan.21.AsfortheWhitehorseTroughanareastretchingfromCarcrosstoCarmackswhichishometothemajorityoftheYukonspopulationthegovernmenttemporarilyEnvironmentMinisterCurrieDixonWatsonLakeMLAPattiMcLeodandVuntutGwitchinMLADariusElias.NDPMLAsJimTredgerandLoisMoorcroftalongwithKlondikeMLAandin-terimLiberalleaderSandySilverroundouttheroster.ThecommitteerecentlytouredanAlbertafrackingsite.ItsexpectedtosoonholdpublichearingsinWhite-horseOldCrowandWat-sonLake.Itssupposedtoreportitsndingsbacktothelegisla-turethisspring.RightnowtheYukonsonlyoilandgasactivityisbeingdonebyCalgary-basedNorthernCrossacompanycontrolledbyChinasstate-ownedCNOOC.Itsdoinganintensive3-DseismicprogramonitsEaglePlainspermitsneartheDempsterHighway.Theresbeennoproduc-tionattheterritorysonlygasfieldKotaneeleelo-catedinthesoutheastcor-nerneartheNWTbordersince2012.TheYukonsnextrequestforoilandgaspostingsclosesonJuly9.suspendednewdispositionsin2012inresponsetopub-licoutrageoverpotentialdevelopment.TheYukonstemporarybanonfrackingalsocontrib-utestothelackofindustryinterestSumaniksaid.Thereisnoquestionwehavefeedbackfromindus-trythatthehydraulicfrac-turingissueispartoftheconcernaboutinvestingintheYukonhesaid.UntilacommitteeofMLAswhowereappointedlastyeartostudytherisksandbenetsoffrackingde-cideswhetherthecontentiouspracticeshouldbeallowedornotcompanieswouldntbeabletoassessbothcon-ventionalandunconventionalpossibilities.ButthenatleasttherewillbecertaintyonewayortheotherandtheywillknowwithcertaintywhattheYukonhastoofferhesaid.Thesix-membercommit-teeincludesthreeYukonPartygovernmentrepsEconomicDevelopmentandforlackofabettertermislessthansomeotherglobalorCanadianjurisdictionsSumaniksaid.Andthentherestheques-tionoflandtherearentmanyplacestolookintheYukonrightnow.OnlytwooftheterritoryseightsedimentarybasinswereopenforrequestsduringthislatestroundportionsofEaglePlainsnotalreadytakenorprotectedandthenearbyKandikbasin.Themuch-sought-afterLiardbasintuckedawayinthesoutheastcornerisstillofflimitshesaid.Eventhoughitsbeenmorethanayearsincethegovern-mentstrippedtheregionsKaskaFirstNationsoftheiroilandgasvetopowerthetwosidesremainatoddsoverhowtodealwithnewdevelopment.TheKaskahaveneversignedalandclaim.Inthewakeofthegovernmentscon-troversialmovetheythreat-enedcourtactionanddeclaredaresourcemoratorium.