NOTICE OF HEARING
APPLICATIONS NO. 1493283, 1504244, 1504245, 1504248, AND 1504249
NEXEN INC.
CROSSFIELD FIELD

Take Notice that the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB/Board) will hold a public hearing of Applications No. 1493283, 1504244, 1504245, 1504248, and 1504249, at the Aspen Willow Room, 5 Calgary Downtown Suites, 618 – 5 Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, commencing on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, at the hour of 9:00 a.m. All interveners to this proceeding must be present at the commencement of the hearing to register their appearance.

Nature of Applications No. 1504244, 1504245, 1504248 and 1504249
Nexen Inc. (Nexen) has applied, pursuant to Section 2.020 of the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, for licences to drill four horizontal level-1 critical gas wells from an existing well pad at a common surface location in Legal Subdivision (LSD) 8 of Section 9, Township 26, Range 28, West of the 4th Meridian, to projected bottomholes located in LSD 9-16-26-28W4M, LSD 16-10-26-28W4M, LSD 9-5-26-28W4M and LSD 1-4-26-28W4M. The maximum hydrogen sulphide (H2S) concentration expected to be encountered by the wells would be approximately 235.7 moles per kilomole (mol/kmol) (23.57 per cent) and the cumulative drilling and completion/servicing H2S release rates would be 1.69 cubic metres per second (m3/s). The suspended/producing release rates would be 0.29 m 3/s. The corresponding emergency planning zones (EPZs) would be 3.29 kilometres (km); however, Nexen has adopted an EPZ of 3.34 km for the drilling and completion/servicing of the wells. The EPZ for the suspended/producing case would be 0.98 km.

The purpose of the proposed four wells would be to obtain natural gas production from the Crossfield Member. The proposed wells would be located approximately 5.23 km northeast of the city limits of the City of Calgary.

Nature of Application No. 1493283
Nexen has also applied, pursuant to Part 4 of the Pipeline Act, for approval to construct and operate a pipeline to transport natural gas from the proposed wells located in LSD 8-9-26-28W4M to a pipeline tie-in at LSD 6-8-26-28W4M. The pipeline would be 2.76 km in length with an outside diameter of 219.1 mm. The proposed pipeline would transport natural gas with a maximum H2S concentration of 250.00 mol/kmol (25.00 per cent), with a maximum calculated EPZ of 4.68 km. The proposed pipeline would be operated as a level-2 facility.

The closest portion of the proposed pipelines would be located approximately 4.40 km northeast of the city limits of the City of Calgary.
 
Additional Information
To obtain a copy of the applications, contact
Nexen Inc.
Canadian Oil & Gas Division
801 – 7 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta  T2P 3P7
Attention: Todd Nichol
Telephone: 403-699-4420
Fax: 403-213-4140

A copy of the record of this proceeding is available for viewing at

ERCB Information Services
Main Floor, 640 - 5 Avenue SW 
Calgary, Alberta  T2P 3G4  
Telephone: 403-297-8311 (option 2) 

Midnapore Field Centre
320, 295 Midpark Way SE
Calgary, Alberta  T2X 2A8
Telephone: 403-297-8303

For information about ERCB procedures, contact
Applications Branch, Facilities Applications Group
Attention: Ryan Connery
Telephone: 403-297-8442
Fax: 403-297-4117
E-mail: ryan.connery@ercb.ca

To File a Submission
Any person intending to make a submission with respect to the hearing of Applications No. 1493283, 1504244, 1504245, 1504248, and 1504249 shall file on or before 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 25, 2008. Send one copy of your submission to the applicant at the name and address above and ten copies to
Ryan Connery, Applications Coordinator
Applications Branch, Facilities Applications Group
Energy Resources Conservation Board
640 - 5 Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta  T2P 3G4

Notes
Any submission filed shall contain the following:

(a) a concise statement indicating

(i) the manner in which the intervener’s rights may be directly and adversely affected by a decision of the Board on the proceeding,

(ii) the nature and scope of the intervener’s intended participation,

(iii) the disposition of the proceeding that the intervener advocates, if any,

(iv) the facts the intervener proposes to show in evidence,

(v) the reasons why the intervener believes the Board should decide in the manner that the intervener advocates, and

(vi) the intervener’s efforts, if any, to resolve issues associated with the proceeding directly with the applicant;

(b) the name, address in Alberta, telephone number, fax number and, if available, e-mail address of the intervener;

(c) if the intervener is represented by a representative, the name, address in Alberta, telephone number, fax number and, if available, e-mail address of the representative; and

(d) if the intervener is an unincorporated organization, the nature of the intervener’s membership.

If you have an interest in this matter, you are required to make a submission with respect to these applications even if you have previously filed a submission with the Board or with Nexen on these applications.

If there are no submissions received, this hearing may be cancelled and the ERCB will continue to process the applications without further notice or without a hearing.

Submissions relating exclusively to compensation for land usage are not dealt with by the ERCB but may be referred to the Alberta Surface Rights Board.

In accordance with Section 13 of the Energy Resources Conservation Board Rules of Practice, all documents filed in respect of this proceeding must be placed on the public record. However, any party may make an application to the Board for confidentiality pursuant to Section 13(2) and serve a copy of such request on the other parties involved in the hearing. The Board may grant a request for confidentiality on any terms it considers appropriate, subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

In accordance with Section 25 of the Energy Resources Conservation Board Rules of Practice, a person who intends to raise a question of constitutional law before the Board must give notice in accordance with Section 12 of the Administrative Procedures and Jurisdiction Act and its regulation.

In accordance with Section 40 of the Energy Resources Conservation Board Rules of Practice, witnesses must give evidence under oath or affirmation.

Issued at Calgary, Alberta, on October 8, 2008.

ENERGY RESOURCES CONSERVATION BOARD
Patricia M. Johnston, Q.C., General Counsel