Old Harry oil and natural gas deposit

August1991 · March 24, 2011

Ottawa and Quebec have reached a deal on a disputed underwater energy prospect that could mean billions of dollars for the province.
The Canadian Press has learned that federal Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis and his Quebec counterpart, Nathalie Normandeau, will sign a deal Thursday on the Old Harry oil and natural gas deposit.

Such a deal would come on the eve of an expected federal election call and could prove a boon to the Conservatives as they push to boost their support in Quebec.

Sources within the federal government said the new deal will see Quebec get 100 per cent of the royalties from the area.

CP

This is interesting and I wonder how it will play in Newfoundland. The Old Harry reservoir has a potential that exceeds Hibernia. Quebec has a moratorium on offshore drilling that will end next year.

The Bloc is understandably taking credit for this agreement.

Edited March 24, 2011 by August1991

kimmy · March 24, 2011

The Bloc is understandably taking credit for this agreement.

Why?

-k

Jack Weber · March 24, 2011

Why?

-k

Parce qu'ils sont "Ici...Pour le Quebec!"

William Ashley · March 24, 2011

This is God providing what Stephen Harper didn't.

1. I hope oil doesn't have a reason for being in the ground - maybe if we take all the oil and gas out we can stop the ocean levels from rising so much they sink pacific islands?

2. Oil is dirty for every barrel of oil we should plant a tree - like pine for pine syrup and maple for maple syrup and pine for pine nut and hazel for hazel nut and oak for acrons and chestnut for chestuts etc even needles and leaves are edible and you can make alchohol with them and tea.... then we should eat all the stuff from the tree (except for its babies that we will impregnate the land with) - and the tree can eat all the dirty oil exhaust that is farted from cars and generators and refineries.

You know massive tree planting for carbon and moisture sequestration It is all muskeg and melting permafrost up north so there is lots of water to dry up We shoud turn it into giant tree farms. And match up animals to date so the natives will be happy.

Edited March 24, 2011 by William Ashley

August1991 · March 24, 2011

Why?

-k

This is an underwater deposit in the Gulf of St-Lawrence that happens to cross the border between Quebec and Newfoundland. It has been a matter of jurisdictional dispute for some time. The Bloc will take credit for having put pressure on the federal government to decide ownership in Quebec's favour.

To be honest, I don't know the details of the various claims. I believe that there is already some exploratory drilling on the Newfoundland side. I'm curious about this announcement. The Conservatives presumably know what they are doing when they announce this at the begining of an election camapign.

kimmy · March 24, 2011

So, long story short, the BQ is taking credit for Quebec having more political clout than Newfoundland?

Always a treat to hear from William. Hi, William! Go eat your pine nuts.

-k

Jack Weber · March 24, 2011

So, long story short, the BQ is taking credit for Quebec having more political clout than Newfoundland?

Always a treat to hear from William. Hi, William! Go eat your pine nuts.

-k

:lol:

August1991 · March 24, 2011

I think that is wrong to say that 100% of the royalties will go to Quebec. The agreement merely says that the federal government cedes all its claims to Quebec:

Officially, the agreement will replicate accords with Newfoundland and Nova Scotia by providing Quebec with 100 per cent of the royalties from offshore resources, which the Supreme Court says are federal jurisdiction.
...

“This accord is concluded without prejudice to the respective positions of the governments with regards to the constitutional status of the Gulf of St-Lawrence,” says the agreement, a copy of which was obtained by The Globe and Mail.

A 1967 Supreme Court of Canada ruling upheld the federal government’s ownership of offshore resources.

A joint secretariat will be set up to oversee federal-provincial responsibilities regarding the management of the offshore resources and an independent tribunal will mediate potential conflicts, including an overseas boundary dispute between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

G&M

The agreement makes plain that the federal government has given up its royalty claims but the dispute with Newfoundland is apparently not resolved.

William Ashley · March 24, 2011

Look the turks are doing it

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=a-tree-equals-a-barrel-of-used-motor-oil-2010-09-05

each liter of oil pollutes one million liters of water.

Edited March 24, 2011 by Charles Anthony
deleted re-copied previous post

kimmy · March 24, 2011

I think that is wrong to say that 100% of the royalties will go to Quebec. The agreement merely says that the federal government cedes all its claims to Quebec:G&M

The agreement makes plain that the federal government has given up its royalty claims but the dispute with Newfoundland is apparently not resolved.

I believe the Maritime provinces have similar agreements with the feds, although I'm not sure if those provinces receive a full 100% of the royalties from offshore oil. If anything it's surprising that Quebec didn't get a similar agreement sooner.

Nonetheless, it's entirely reasonable, as I see no reason why offshore oil be treated differently from oil that's under dry land. I don't think that oil rights were what they had in mind when they made the oceans a federal jurisdiction.

-k

Rovik · March 25, 2011

I believe the Maritime provinces have similar agreements with the feds, although I'm not sure if those provinces receive a full 100% of the royalties from offshore oil. If anything it's surprising that Quebec didn't get a similar agreement sooner.

Nonetheless, it's entirely reasonable, as I see no reason why offshore oil be treated differently from oil that's under dry land. I don't think that oil rights were what they had in mind when they made the oceans a federal jurisdiction.

-k

The Feds did not offer Newfoundland 100% royalties to Newfoundland in re: to Hibernia and Terra Nova. Strange that they are offering it to Quebec. Could this be a slimy way to payoff Quebec in order to wins more seats in the upcoming election. Well, we're talking about the Conservatives here, so I wouldn't be shocked (and sadly following in the Liberals footsteps of years past.)

And if one would think that Newfoundland and Labrador will let Quebec have Old Harry without a fight then one would be sadly mistaken. Newfoundland will fight tooth and nail (as they should). Just another chapter in the war between Quebec and Newfoundland over energy resources.

August1991 · March 25, 2011

The Feds did not offer Newfoundland 100% royalties to Newfoundland in re: to Hibernia and Terra Nova. Strange that they are offering it to Quebec.

I think that you're wrong Rovik. And who offered guarantees for Hibernia anyway? But I admit that it's a good way to change the channel.

----

Among the 60 jursidictions (provinces/states) in northern North America, only three Canadian provinces are in the top 50 according to real GDP per capita: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland. Why? Oil/natural gas. Sad.

Edited March 25, 2011 by August1991

Smallc · March 25, 2011

Among the 60 jursidictions (provinces/states) in northern North America, only three Canadian provinces are in the top 50 according to real GDP per capita:

Citation please. The territories have massive per capita GDPs, and Ontario and BC are no slouches. From the information I can find, Canadian provinces do rather well.

Edited March 25, 2011 by Smallc