NOTICE OF HEARING
APPLICATION NOS. 1394112 and 1409180
COLD LAKE OIL SANDS AREA – CLEARWATER DEPOSIT

Take Notice that the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB/Board) will hold a public hearing in Govier Hall at the Board’s office, 640 5th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta commencing on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. All participants in this hearing must be present at the commencement of the hearing to register their appearance.

Background
On April 4, 2006 the EUB issued Bulletin 2006-14 regarding the regulatory process that it was going to use to deal with three applications that were before the EUB and the possible need for a broader bitumen conservation strategy in the Cold Lake and Peace River Oil Sands Areas. Since Koch Exploration Canada Corporation (Koch) has withdrawn its Application No. 1378856 to shut in Bluesky-Gething gas from one well in the Peace River Oil Sands Area, the remaining two applications before the EUB are:

• Application No. 1394112 by EnCana Oil & Gas Partnership (EnCana) to produce Clearwater gas from one well in the Cold Lake Oil Sands Area; and
• Application No. 1409180 by Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) to shut in Clearwater gas from twenty wells in the Cold Lake Oil Sands Area.

In Bulletin 2006-14 the EUB indicated it would conduct a hearing on the EnCana and CNRL applications and that it would invite all interested parties to participate in the hearing by contributing technical evidence related to the effect of associated gas production on bitumen recovery by cyclic steam stimulation. The EUB also indicated it would convene pre-hearing meetings regarding the subject hearing and the hearing planned for Koch’s application (prior to Koch withdrawing its application).  The EUB issued notice of the pre-hearing meetings on April 25, 2006 requesting written submissions from interested parties on May 11 and May 18, 2006.  Based on its review of the submissions the EUB has decided that pre-hearing meetings are unnecessary and has decided on the following process and schedule for the hearing on the EnCana and CNRL applications.

Schedule for Filing Submissions
July 4, 2006  --CNRL and EnCana file further evidence to complete their applications.
July 25, 2006 --Information requests to CNRL and EnCana.
Aug. 15, 2006 --Response to information requests by CNRL and EnCana.
Sept. 5, 2006 --Submissions by interveners and interested parties.
Sept. 19, 2006 --Information requests to interveners and interested parties.
Oct. 3, 2006 --Responses to information requests by interveners and interested parties.
Oct. 17, 2006 --Reply evidence by CNRL and EnCana.

Any party intending to file submissions is requested to provide one electronic copy of the submissions on CD in pdf format and fifteen paper copies of the submissions to:

 Ernie Smith
 8 Floor, Applications Branch, EUB
 640 5 Avenue SW
 Calgary, Alberta  T2P 3G4

Additional Information
Copies of the applications are available at the EUB’s website at http://www.ercb.ca, and at the EUB’s Calgary Office. Subsequent submissions will also be posted on the EUB’s website.

To obtain a copy of the material filed, contact the party filing the material.

For information about the applications, contact Ernie Smith, Applications Branch, at (403) 297-8128.

For information about EUB procedures, contact Giuseppa Bentivegna, Law Branch, at (403) 297-8332.

Dated at Calgary, Alberta on June 9, 2006.

ALBERTA ENERGY AND UTILITIES BOARD
Douglas A. Larder, Q.C., General Counsel