Take Notice that the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB/Board) will hold a public hearing of Proceeding No. 1333566 and Applications No. 1067996, 1283132, 1290220, 1294457 and 1299696 at the offices of the Board, 640 5th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta, commencing March 8, 2004 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. All participants to this proceeding must be present at the commencement of the hearing to register their appearance.

This hearing is for the purpose of considering submissions respecting the production of gas in oil sands areas as discussed in EUB General Bulletin (GB) 2003-28: Bitumen Conservation Requirements, Athabasca Wabiskaw-McMurray. On January 26, 2004, in accordance with GB 2003-28, an EUB staff submission group (SSG) released recommendations to continue or vary the production status of gas zones within wells subject to GB 2003-28. Parties that disagreed with the recommendations notified the Board by February 9, 2004, of the wells and associated intervals for which they wish to present a case at this interim hearing.

The Board has directed that the following applications or portions of applications for the approval of gas production be considered at the interim hearing:

Additional Information

To obtain a copy of the material filed, please contact the party filing the material. All material filed, including the submissions identifying the wells for consideration at this hearing, will be posted on the EUB website as soon as possible after receipt by the EUB and can be viewed by clicking on the Bitumen Conservation Requirements Affecting Gas Production in Oil Sands Areas link on the EUB home page at www.ercb.ca, and following through the Phase 3 Proceedings link.

For information about EUB procedures contact:

Law Branch

Attention: Gary Perkins

Telephone: (403) 297-3505

The EUB confirms its previously published schedule for the filing of material regarding this Phase 3 proceeding, as follows:

To file a submission, send one electronic copy in PDF format by email to karine.fisher@gov.ab.ca and fifteen paper copies of the submission to:

K. Fisher, Application Coordinator
Applications Branch, Resources Applications, EUB
640 5th Avenue SW
Calgary Alberta T2P 3G4

• The scope of the hearing will be limited to assessing whether gas is associated with potentially recoverable bitumen.

• Decisions respecting production status will be made on a pool basis.

• Given the interim nature of the proceedings, parties are not permitted to make information requests of other parties.

• All submissions filed for this hearing must include a written summary of the party's position and of the evidence relied upon in support of that position.

• The Board will rely on the written evidence filed, on cross-examinations, and argument.

• The person or persons responsible for preparing a submission must be available to answer questions regarding the submission.

• Parties will not be allowed to present opening statements or reply evidence. Oral evidence in chief will be limited to the introduction of the witness panel, adoption of submissions, and the correction of any errors in the material filed. Cross-examination will then proceed.

• The EUB Staff Submission Group (SSG) will be subject to cross-examination first. Thereafter parties will present witnesses for cross-examination in order of the number of objections that each party filed, beginning with the party who filed the least number of objections and concluding with the party who filed the most number of objections, or otherwise as directed by the Board.

• Each party will be restricted in the time provided for cross-examinations. The time provided for each party will be communicated by the EUB on February 25, 2004.

• All parties will have an opportunity to present final argument, subject to further direction from the Board.

• The SSG, which consists of EUB staff members, is separated from the panel presiding over this hearing. The SSG will be treated as any other participant in the hearing and will be subject to cross-examination on its submissions.

• In accordance with section 38 of the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board Rules of Practice, witnesses must give evidence under oath or affirmation.

Issued at Calgary, Alberta on February 13, 2004.

ALBERTA ENERGY AND UTILITIES BOARD

Michael J. Bruni, Q.C., General Counsel