NOTICE OF PRE-HEARING MEETINGS

APPLICATION NOS. 1378856, 1394112, and 1409180

COLD LAKE OIL SANDS AREA – CLEARWATER DEPOSIT

PEACE RIVER OIL SANDS AREA – BLUESKY-GETHING DEPOSIT

Take Notice that the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board (EUB/Board) will hold pre-hearing meetings with the location to be specified at a later date, commencing
May 25, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.

Background

On April 4, 2006 the EUB issued Bulletin 2006-14 regarding the regulatory process that it will use to deal with three applications that are before the EUB and the possible need for a broader bitumen conservation strategy in the Cold Lake and Peace River Oil Sands Areas. The three applications before the EUB are:

·         Application No. 1378856 by Koch Exploration Canada Corporation (Koch) to shut in Bluesky-Gething gas from one well in the Peace River Oil Sands Area;

·         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 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 two separate hearings, one dealing with the applications by CNRL and EnCana, and another dealing with the application by Koch. The EUB also indicated it would invite all interested parties to participate in the hearings by contributing technical evidence related to the effect of associated gas production on bitumen recovery by cyclic steam stimulation to the hearing on the CNRL and EnCana applications, and by contributing technical evidence related to the effect of associated gas production on primary bitumen production to the hearing on the Koch application. The EUB further indicated it would convene pre-hearing meetings regarding the two hearings.

Pre-hearing Meetings

The EUB requests that interested parties provide, by May 11, 2006, written submissions regarding the following matters.

·         The scope of the hearings, including the role of parties not directly affected by the applications;

·         The schedules for the hearings;

·         The process to be followed, including the possible use of an interrogatory process; and

·         Any other relevant matters.

The submissions will be posted on the EUB’s website at http://www.ercb.ca. The EUB requests that interested parties provide, by May 18, 2006, further submissions regarding the need for pre-hearing meetings. Based on its review of the submissions, the EUB will reconsider the need for the pre-hearing meetings that have been scheduled for
May 25, 2006.

To File Submissions

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.

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 April 25, 2006.

ALBERTA ENERGY AND UTILITIES BOARD

Douglas A. Larder, Q.C., General Counsel