.. to break this sector wide open? An announcement from the Quebec government that test drilling with frakking will proceed?

What would be the effect on QEC SP?

Just dreaming..... indulge me!

Seems to accept inevitability of development: recommends a "go slow and monitor" approach to mitigate environmental impacts.

http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/eng/assessments%20and%20publications%20and%20news%20releases/shale%20gas/shalegas_newsen.pdf

Key findings

Although the technologies and techniques used in extracting shale gas are understood, more research and information is needed on the potential environmental impacts that could result from this process. In Canada, shale gas development has moved forward in British Columbia and Alberta while potential development is still being explored in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Unlike the United States, Canadian development has moved at a slower pace. This slower pace of development presents a unique opportunity for Canada to take the time to explore and determine the proper management practices to develop its shale gas resources responsibly.

For Canada, regional context matters. Environments, ecosystems, geographies, and geologies are not uniform across the country. Therefore, consideration of different potential regional impacts need to be closely considered when determining the suitability for shale gas development.

Overall, the Panel found that well-targeted science is required to ensure a better understanding of the environmental impacts of shale gas development. Currently, data about environmental impacts are neither sufficient nor conclusive. (Bold is mine)

The Panel’s assessment focused on a number of environmental impacts. They include:

- Well Integrity
- Water (groundwater and surface)
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Land Impacts and Seismic Events
- Human Health
- Monitoring and Research

From the media package:

Who would have thought? What implications would a liberal majority have for oil and gas in Quebec?

Public consultation on issues related to the exploration and exploitation of shale gas in the Utica shale lowlands of the St. Lawrence - Committee composition and availability of documentation

QUÉBEC, March 13, 2014 / CNW Telbec / - On January 30 , the Minister of Sustainable Development , Environment , Wildlife and Parks , Yves -François Blanchet, gave the BAPE on environmental mandate to investigate and hold a public hearing on the issues raised by the exploration and exploitation of shale gas in the Utica shale lowlands of the St. Lawrence to the future work of the Committee strategic Environmental assessment (SEA ) on the shale gas.

This inquiry will be chaired by Denis Bergeron, who will be assisted by commissioners Gisèle Grandbois and John Haemmerli . The mandate of the commission will begin on March 31. The Committee is currently working to determine the modalities of this public consultation . Once they are arrested, they will be disseminated through a press release and on the BAPE website.

The inquiry has a maximum period of eight months to complete its mandate. The BAPE report will be submitted to the Minister of Sustainable Development , Environment , Wildlife and Parks later than 28 November 2014 . Subsequently , the Minister has 60 days to make the report public.

WHERE TO SEE THE DOCUMENTATION ON FILE ?

Studies commissioned as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment on shale gas and the synthesis of these studies report are available to the population centers in the following regional consultation :

Library Bécancour , 1295 Avenue Nicolas Perrot, Bécancour;
Library T -A.- Saint- Germain , 2720 Dessaules Street, Saint -Hyacinthe;
Library Wilfrid Laurier , 147, rue Saint- Denis , Laurier- Station.

The entire file is also available in print at the BAPE office in Québec version at 575 Saint -Amable Street, Suite 2.10 and Montreal , the Library of Legal Sciences of the University of Quebec at Montreal , Pavillon Hubert- Aquinas , 400 Sainte-Catherine Street East , as well as in the BAPE website at www.bape.gouv.qc.ca , under " current mandates ."

For more information , please contact Marie- Josée Harvey , Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Committee , or Julie Olivier , communications advisor , by calling 418 643-7447 or toll free at 1 800 463-4732 . You can also contact the Committee by email to the following address: gaz_de_schiste@bape.gouv.qc.ca .

WHAT THE BAPE ?

The Office of Public Hearings on the environment is a public and neutral body that reports to the Minister of Sustainable Development , Environment , Wildlife and Parks. Its mission is to inform government decision-making in the context of sustainable development , which includes ecological, social and economic aspects .

To achieve this mission , the BAPE inform investigation and public consultations on projects or issues related to environmental quality to it by the Minister . He subsequently produced investigative reports that are made public . BAPE is therefore a government advisory and not decision-making body .

Extremely interesting interview regarding O&G in Quebec. The proposed five year moratorium on shale gas production is currently being debated in the Quebec legislature. Mike is advocating a demonstration project for production.

http://www.cbc.ca/quebecam/oil-in-the-gaspe/2014/02/19/last-week-quebec-decided-to/

This is from the Globe and Mail today: The last paragraph is relevant to all the companies with acreage in Quebec.

"David Popowich of Macquarie Securities said the PQ's allocation of public funds to drill for unconventional oil is unique in North America.

He added the move is even more unusual because, unlike most unconventional plays, the sparsely populated island, known for its flora and fauna, has no existing infrastructure.

Popowich described Quebec's decision as a gamble, since no one knows how much of the oil is recoverable.

"Oil and gas exploration is just inherently risky, so it is kind of unusual that they're participating in it, but every business has its risks, I guess," said Popowich.

"There have been lots of examples of unconventional oil plays where they haven't worked out… It's not a negligible possibility that this could be a non-economic play."

Popowich, however, said the project could renew the industry's interest in Quebec. He thinks many companies were spooked last year when the government introduced a moratorium on shale-gas exploration and drilling activities in the St. Lawrence River valley."