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IndustryOilGas7TuesdayMarch25201414034CF1Renseignez-vousdavantagesurlafaondontlePlandactionconomiquede2014peutvousaiderenvisitantlesiteplandaction.gc.caLePLANDACTIONCONOMIQUEDE2014donnedesrsultatsencontrlantlesdpensesetenplaantleCanadasurlavoiedelquilibrebudgtaireen2015.Latteintedelquilibrebudgtaireprotgenotreconomieetcontribuelamaintenirvigoureuse.LePlandactionconomiquede2014prvoitdesinvestissementsdansdesdomainesimportantspourlesCanadiennesetlesCanadiensnotammentunaccsamliorauserviceInternetlargebandeoffertdanslescollectivitsruralesetduNordunnouveaucrditdimptpourvolontairesparticipantdesactivitsderechercheetdesauvetageleprogrammeNouveauxHorizonspourlesansdenouvellesmesurespoursoutenirlesapprentisdanslesmtiersunaccsamlioretlargiauxsentierspourmotoneigesetauxsentiersrcratifsdanslensembledupaysunnancementaccruautitreduprogrammeNutritionNordCanadapouramliorerlaccsdesalimentssainsdanslescollectivitsloignesduNord.SousrservedelapprobationduParlementCRERDESEMPLOISETDESOPPORTUNITSConocoPhillipscouldfrack10morewellsinSahtuByMEAGANWOHLBERGConocoPhillipswillbeap-plyingtodrillupto10morewellsintheSahtuoverthenextveyearsbutsaidtheapplicationdoesntguaranteetheoilandgascompanywillbemovingforwardwithmorefrackingintheregion.CompanyspokespersonLaurenStewarttoldTheJournalthatConocoPhillipsexpectstocompleteitsappli-cationformoredrillinginthenextmonthbutregulatoryap-provalandresultsfromtherststageofexploratorydrillingwhichwrappedupthismonthwilldeterminewhetherornottheygoforward.Shesaidthecompanymaychoosetopauseforafewyearsproceedorevenstopexplora-tionregardlessofwhetherre-sultsarefavourableunfavour-ableorunclear.Factorsconsideredinmak-ingadecisiontomoveforwardincluderesourcecomplexitytechnicalsuccessregulatoryapprovalscommercialityin-ternalportfoliomanagementlocalsupportandmarketcon-ditionsshesaid.EAcouldbefactorIftheapplicationisreferredtoenvironmentalassessmentasisbeingrequestedbyhun-dredsofconcernedresidentsStewartsaidthecompanywouldmakeadecisionatthattimewhetherornottopro-ceedwithmoreexploration.Conocoswinterdrillingprogrambypassedtheassess-mentprocesslastsummerafterMGMEnergywithdrewitsapplicationtodofrackingintheSahtuin2012whenitwassenttoenvironmentalassess-mentcitingtoomanycosts.Itsimportanttonotethatweunderstandthatthereareconcernsaroundthepotentialenvironmentalimpactsofhy-draulicfracturingandthatswhywesubmittedarobustapplicationtotheSahtuLandandWaterBoardin2013com-pletewithextensivecumulativeeffectsresearchandenviron-mentaldata.Muchofthisre-searchwouldactuallybepartofanyenvironmentalassess-mentStewartsaid.NotechnicalproblemswithwellsTherecentwinterdrillingprogrammarkedthersttimeConocoPhillipsandanycompanyintheNWThasdrilledhorizontallyusinghy-draulicfracturingorfrackingintheterritory.Previouslythecompanyhaddrilledtwover-ticalwellsinthearea.Thoughthecompanyisre-fusingtogivedetailsofwellproductivityfortwoyearsStewartsaidallfourwellsdrilledverywellwithnotechnicalissues.Whatwasfoundwasthatwellborestabilityisverygoodshesaidmeaningtheholemaintainsitssizeandcylindricalshape.Stewartcouldnotdisclosespeciccostsoftheexplor-atoryprogrambutsaidthecompanyhadexceededitsve-yearworkcommitmentof66.7millionwhichincludesseismicanddrillingwork.Thewinterdrillingprojecthiredatotalof106localem-ployeesthemajorityfromTulitaandtheSahtuwithanother41percentcomingfromelsewhereintheNorth.Tulitacontractorsreceived91percentofthetotalcontractsawardedforatotalof17mil-lionindirectlocalspending.SafetyimprovementsunderwayThoughthewellsweretech-nicallysoundseveralsafetyincidentsaroseatthedrillingsitebetweenJanuarytoMarch.Freshwaterspillswastewatertruckaccidentsandaworkerin-jurywereclosecallsthatcouldhaveresultedinmoreseriousissuesforthecompanywhichStewartsayshastakenthein-cidentsextremelyseriously.Theincidentsthathap-penedduringourprojectthatresultedintheoneinjuryordamagetopropertywerefullyinvestigatedshesaid.AnylearningsthatwerefoundwillbeusedtoenhanceourSafetyManagementSystemgoingfor-wardintofutureprojectyears.Additionallythecompanyhiredfull-timesafetyadvisorstobeonsiteandworkcloselywithsupervisorsandworkersasconcernsarise.Asafetybul-letinwascreatedforthetruckdriverswhoarerequiredtoreadandsignthedocumentshowingtheyunderstandallsafetyprecautionsofdrivingonthewinterroad.Ourworkisneversoimpor-tantthatwecanttakethetimetodoitsafelyandinamannerthatprotectspeopleandtheenvironmentStewartsaid.WeunderstandthatthereareconcernsaroundthepotentialenvironmentalimpactsofhydraulicfracturingandthatswhywesubmittedarobustapplicationtotheSahtuLandandWaterBoardin2013.LaurenStewartConocoPhillipsMGMEnergydrillsnearTulita.Thecompanypulleditshorizontaldrillingapplicationafteritwassenttoenvironmentalassessment.ConocoPhillipssaidithasyettodecideifitwilldofurtherexplorationifdirectedtotheassessmentstage.PhotoJeanPolfusGwichinelderwinsIndspireGwichinelderCharlieSnowshoeofFortMcPhersonisawardedanIndspireAwardinWinni-pegonFridayalongsideGNWTMinisterGlenAbernethyleftandArielleMeloul-WechslervicepresidentofHumanResourcesAirCanada.TheawardrecognizesSnowshoeslifetimeofcommitmenttotheenvironment.SnowshoehasbeenamemberoftheGwichinRenew-ableResourceBoardandGwichinLandandWaterBoardsince2011andservedasvicechairoftheGwichinLandUsePlanningBoardandamemberoftheMackenzieValleyEnvironmentalImpactReviewBoard.HewasinvolvedinthenegotiationsofthePorcupineCaribouManagementAgreementandtheoriginalDene-MetislandclaimandhasreceivednumerousawardsforhisworktoprotecttheNorthernenvironment.TheIndspireAwardsformerlyknownastheNationalAboriginalAchievementAwardspromotethedevelopmenteducationandprofessionaladvancementofAboriginalpeopleinCanada.PhotoRobertLowdon